Pint & Dale are the only Maritime/Hurdy-Gurdy connection I can think of so far. Although I recall seeing an Italian band at one of the Liverpool Shanty fests who I'm nearly sure had a hurdy-gurdy in the line-up.

I seem to remember a hurdy-gurdy event in Lancaster many years (20?) ago, held in the Georgian Club. Could have been part of the Clocks-Back Festival (yet another of Lancaster's secret treasures).

Ross