My experience of Lyke Wakes is less dramatic, but moving nonetheless.

THe custom is for the corpse to be taken to the church on the night before the funeral. Family and friends attend a short service and then may stay or come and go as they please, but always in silence, and illuminated only by candles.

We held such ceremonies for both my mother-in-law and father-in-law in Halifax, Yorkshire.

The family forbad me to sing the dirge, however.

"Fire and fleet and candleleet and Christ receive thy saule"