"Englishness will always be the reserve of Hard Right-Wing Nationalists, which is why the majority of English people (whatever their cultural or ethnic background) don't even give the matter a second thought. They're too busy getting on with it to be bothered about the defining of it,"

Defining 'Englishness' as a concept isn't of interest to me either and is something of a red herring I think. Actual songs that just happen to be English by the simple matter of being forged here, are what's of interest. The revival inspired a generation of enthusiasts for traditional song, that generation is still breathing just about, but it would be nice if a few more of us were simply aware that this stuff is there.

I was at an alt-music festival a while back and singing some E. Trads to myself while I was working, and this dreadlocked hippy said to me: "Those old Irish songs are amazing, hearing that sent a shiver up my spine!"