This is a revival by Stuart Walker of the Hope in the Valley carols put together by Vic Gammon nearly forty years ago, when interest in West Gallery music was awakening. The performance includes a short mumming play as well as readings and dance tunes. Shirley Collins comperes, Will Duke plays and sings and Bob Lewis is also singing.

The carols will be performed at Lewes Saturday Folk Club on 7th. December, St. John sub Castro church in Lewes on 11th. December, at Michelham Priory in Sussex in the afternoon of 15th. December and St. Michael's Church in Lewes in the afternoon on 29th. December.

Here's a fuller description of the event at Michelham Priory:

The Sussex Archaeological Society
An Afternoon of Sussex Folk Carols

Michelham Priory is thrilled to be hosting a performance of Sussex Carols by the Lewes Saturday Folk Club on Sunday 15th December, presented by Shirley Collins.

The afternoon performance will include Sussex traditional folk carols, Christmas anthems and songs including pieces from the repertoire of the Copper family of Rottingdean. There will also be music and readings from Sussex sources.

The ensemble consists of seventeen singers and seven instrumentalists, all of whom are seasoned musicians from the traditional world, and some from choral backgrounds. The compere will be Shirley Collins OBE, nationally renowned in the folk world and President of the English Folk Song and Dance Society. Shirley writes,

"I am delighted to be part of the Sussex Carols afternoon and really looking forward to being at Michelham Priory in December. It's the perfect venue for this event. What better start to Christmas could there be than a performance of genuine traditional carols and songs of old Sussex? Vigorously sung with rich and beautiful harmonies, they are stirring and moving. Along with contemporary readings, Sussex tunes and a Mummer's play, this is what Christmas should be – a lively celebration from a simpler time, full of the spirit of Christmas Past." said Ms Collins.

Usual admission fees to Michelham Priory (£7.50 for adults, £6.50 for Seniors) will include entrance to the performance being held at 2pm in the Elizabethan Great Barn.

http://sussexpast.co.uk/event/an-afternoon-of-sussex-folk-carols