Christmas Carols and Their Stories
Puzzle 18 · Carols of the Nativity Story · Page 34 in print
While Shepherds Watched
In the early United States, While Shepherds Watched was often paired with Sherburne, a fuguing tune from Daniel Read’s American Singing Book of 1785; the pair appeared in print 36 times through 1820.
Jump to a word
The words
Cobbler
The trade of Thomas Clark, composer of the tune Cranbrook.
Cranbrook
Thomas Clark’s 1805 tune, sung to the carol in Wesleyan chapels.
George Kirby
The arranger named on Winchester Old in the 1592 psalm book.
Ilkley Moor
The Yorkshire moor of the song that uses the carol’s tune Cranbrook.
Nahum Tate
The Poet Laureate to whom the carol is usually credited.
Hymnology Archive (opens a new tab) · Moffatt, Handbook to the Church Hymnary (opens a new tab)
New Version
Tate and Brady’s metrical psalm book, whose Supplement first printed the carol.
Nicholas Brady
Tate’s partner in the New Version of the Psalms.
Poet Laureate
Nahum Tate’s office from 1690.
Seraph
The word the 1700 text uses for the angel who brings the news.
Sherburne
Daniel Read’s 1785 American fuguing tune for the carol.
Supplement
The 1700 Supplement to the New Version in which the carol first appeared.
Swathing Bands
The baby’s wrappings in the 1700 text of the carol.
Thomas Clark
The Canterbury cobbler who wrote the tune Cranbrook in 1805.
Thomas Est
The London printer of the 1592 psalm book that first had Winchester Old.
Winchester Old
The tune from Thomas Est’s 1592 psalm book, usual for the carol in Britain.
Sources
- ilkley.org, ‘On Ilkley Moor Baht ’At – Origins’ (text credited to Bradford Libraries)ilkley.org
- Hymnology Archive (Chris Fenner), article ‘While shepherds watched their flocks by night’Hymnology Archive
- James Moffatt (ed.), Handbook to the Church Hymnary (London: Oxford University Press, 1927), full text via Internet ArchiveInternet Archive
- A Supplement to the New Version of Psalms by N. Tate and N. Brady (London: J. Heptinstall, 1700), Early English Books scan with OCR via Internet ArchiveInternet Archive