RVW, Volgadon, collected/recorded E. trad tunes and added harmonies for his New English Hymnal.
The recorder/English flute was probably rarely used by folkies here until the turn of the 20th century - but it is one of the "instruments of (or closely associated with) England" (opening post, above or here) and, thus, could be called a traditional English instrument...it's certainly been played in this land for a long time; and, at the Rothbury TRADITIONAL Music Festival, there is a competition for whistles AND recorders.