From ditchlinghistoryproject.org

"Born in Ditchling in 1825, Peter Parsons became the village shoemaker. He was also the parish Clerk and choirmaster, at one time having nine of his thirteen children singing in the choir. He also led the Ditchling Glee Club (singers specialising in singing in the round). In Sussex at the time, there was a strong tradition of singing both religious and secular Christmas carols and Peter Parsons developed quite a reputation locally for his repertoire of popular and comic songs and anecdotes.

The words of the Ditchling carol have been found on a broadside ballad sheet dating from the early 19th century. Peter Parsons composed the music to the carol which was to be sung robustly by tenor and bass voices.

Peter Parsons died on Christmas Eve in 1901 but the Ditchling Carol lives on and is sometimes sung in the village on Boxing Day by the Ditching Mummers."

Although I think that this thread means to concentrate on the carols of Kent...