XXI. Bredon Hill by A. E. Housman (1859-1936)
In summertime on Bredon The bells they sound so clear; Round both the shires they
ring them In steeples far and near, A happy noise to hear.
Here of a Sunday morning My love and I would lie, And see the coloured counties, And hear the larks so high About
us in the sky.
The bells would ring to call her In valleys miles away: 'Come to church, good people; Good people, come and pray.' But
here my love would stay.
And I would turn and answer Among the springing thyme, 'Oh, peal upon our wedding, And we will hear the chime, And
come to church in time.'
But when the snows at Christmas On Bredon top were strown, My love rose up so early And stole out unbeknown And
went to church alone.
They tolled the one bell only, Groom there was none to see, The mourners followed after, And so to church went
she, And would not wait for me.
The bells they sound on Bredon, And still the steeples hum. 'Come all to church, good people,' --- Oh, noisy bells,
be dumb; I hear you, I will come.
Bredon Hill in Worcestershire rises in isolation out of the Vale of Evesham to some 299m/981ft above sea level
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A. E. Housman |
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View From Bredon Hill |
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related internet links
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a really nice entry in
Wikipedia
took these pictures on
Bredon Hill, and very
nice they are too.
a writer long associated with
this part of then world, and
as descriptive of the landscapes
as A.E Housman
this webpage is to be found on
our The Wild Side of Life website,
our look at the natural world of
England and our relationship to it
The information point for visitors
to and residents of the village of
Bredon,Worcestershire, and
surrounding hill villages.
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Ralph Vaughan Williams |
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