MUSIC
Although Cheshire cannot be described as a musical county, yet it has no reason to be ashamed of its past musical history.
“Cheshire Rounds” was a celebrated tune and dance—sometimes danced by a couple (whose gyrations resembled the movements of the sun and moon) and sometimes by a single person. The only known portrait of Doggett (who founded the celebrated waterman’s badge) shows him dancing the “Cheshire Round.”
Miss Stanley writes from Alderley Park—
Sep. 8, 1798.
We had yesterday what is generally called a harvest home supper, but here a “shutting.” Old Peter danced the Cheshire Round on the table after supper with Charlotte Alcock, one of the women.
A play-bill of the time of William III. shows how popular the dance was then—
In Bartholomew Fair, at the Coach-house, on the pav’d stones at Hosier Lane end, you will see a Black that dances the Cheshire Rounds to perfection.
The Morris Dance has always been a favourite, especially in the Knutsford district, where it was danced to the following:—
Morris Dance is a very pretty tune,
I can dance in my new shoon;
My new shoon they are so good,
I could dance it if I would.
This is it, and that is it,
And this is Morris dancing.
My poor father broke his leg,
And so it fell a chancing.
Just over the border, in Lancashire, the version runs—
My new shoon, they are so good,
I could dance Morris if I would;
And if hat and sark be drest
I will dance Morris with the rest.
Three ballads were very popular, viz. “The Miller of the Dee,” “The Spanish Lady” (who is supposed to have fallen in love with the Cheshire knight Sir Uryan Leigh), and “The Cheshire Cheese.”