THE song was not Ewans, as far as i recollect it was collected from the fine traditional singer Harry Cox
" We towed till we came to the House of Expire(?)."
We gave her old horse with plenty of ire(?"
should be "we gave her old house plenty of fire"

it makes plenty of sense,
its a reference to entering her vagina[ the house of expire] and giving her a dose of fire[ clap V. D.]
MacColl AND Lloyd possibly did not understand HIS NORFOLK ACCENT, this song is a double entendre song