What do you know. The carol was in fact "The Bitter Withy" and the tune was published in the Somers Journal in 1989, with the following note:

"Bill Waters from the Forest of Dean has kindly given us his grandmother's tune for Bitter Withy. Bill tells us that his granmother came from Worcester, She would always sing it at Christmas. After her death, Bill didn't have her words so he used those of Peter Bellamy (who tells us they came from A L LLoyd/trad: several versions collected in Glos and Worcs). Bill checked with his father who said they were very similar."

Is there a recording of this carol sung by Bill?

Tradsinger