Lyr Req: Beware Chalk Pit (Graham Penny)

Subject: Lyr Req: Beware Chalk Pit
From: OldPossum
Date: 22 Oct 13 - 09:50 AM

I am looking for the lyrics to this song. It concerns a horse that performed an impressive jump across a chalk pit, and was consequently named Beware Chalk Pit by its owner. It was sung by Graham Penny. I heard it (and copied it to a cassette tape) off the radio ca. 1980, give or take a few years.

Apparently it is based on a true story. I can find several references on the internet, fx. here: http://www3.hants.gov.uk/countryside/fmcp/monument.htm or here: http://www.forest-tracks.co.uk/folk_music_pages/folk_music_contraband.html

- but not the lyrics. On my tape the singing is very clear, but he does have a bit of (Hampshire?) dialect, so I am not quite up to the job of transcribing it myself. But here is a snippet:

There's a tale I'll tell to you
'tis remarkable but true
of Sir Paulet St. John and his noble steed
an event as you shall see
back in seventeen thirty three
of which Hampshire gentlemen should all take heed.

CHORUS:
Beware Chalk Pit, Beware Chalk Pit,
as you go galloping o'er the ('downs'? - sound like 'dahns')
Beware Chalk Pit.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Beware Chalk Pit
From: maeve
Date: 22 Oct 13 - 10:19 AM

OldPossum- Graham Penny posted an email contact address on a Mudcat thread requesting lyrics for his song "Channels". It may have changed by now, but if so at last one Mudcat member posting there could be asked nicely via PM.
Lyr Req: Channels (Graham Penny)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Beware Chalk Pit
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 22 Oct 13 - 10:25 AM

I've heard Sue the Borderer sing it....

Kitty

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Beware Chalk Pit
From: Andy Jackson
Date: 22 Oct 13 - 06:05 PM

I recorded Graham singing this years ago for Forest Tracks (Google) It will be available as a special order.
Andy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Beware Chalk Pit
From: Andy Jackson
Date: 22 Oct 13 - 06:15 PM

Just had a look at our site and yes this is available as a CD ( It was originally on cassette) Look for "Both sides of the coin". It will have been remastered from the original 1/4" tape recording. Happy listening.
Andy

Subject: Lyr Add: BEWARE CHALK PIT (Graham Penny)
From: RTim
Date: 23 Oct 13 - 09:49 AM

As a child, my family and I would often visit Farley Mount; and beside playing football and cricket etc. with my Dad, we always walked up to the Monument; but I never really knew what it was. It wasn't until many years later when I met Graham Penny at The Fo'c's'le in Southampton and heard the song, that all fell into place.
Here are the words as sung by Steve Jordan on his Cd "The Trees Scarce Green" (also available from Forest Tracks!!, as are a couple of my own..)

Tim Radford


BEWARE CHALK PIT
(Graham Penny)

Here's a tale I'll tell to you It's remarkable but true,
Of Sir Paulet St. John and his noble steed.
An event you all shall see back in 1733,
And Hampshire gentleman should all take heed.

CHORUS
Beware Chalk Pit, Beware Chalk Pit,
As you go galloping across the Downs, Beware Chalk Pit.
Beware Chalk Pit, Beware Chalk Pit,
The finest horse in Hampshire, Beware Chalk Pit.

As Sir Paulet rode to hounds o'er the rolling Hampshire Downs
He was riding hard as he was want to do.
When he jumped a bramble hedge and went headlong o'er the edge
Of a chalk pit that was hidden from his view.

Now this chalk pit's sides were steep, it was 25 foot deep,
How he came upon it I cannot account.
But the strangest thing of all, was they both survived the fall,
With no injury to rider or to mount.

Now Sir Paulet knew of course that no fault lay with the horse,
And for jumping blindly he should take the blame.
He knew by right's he should be dead, of the horse the proudly said,
He shall henceforth be remembered by this name.

Now old Chalky passed away and his master did straightway,
On Farley Mount a monument erect.
But if you should pass this way you may still observe today,
The enduring final mark of this respect.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Beware Chalk Pit
From: OldPossum
Date: 23 Oct 13 - 12:58 PM

Thank you very much! It is a great song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Beware Chalk Pit
From: RTim
Date: 24 Oct 13 - 02:30 PM

The song can also be found in John Paddy Browne's book "Folk Songs of Old Hampshire" published by Millstone Publications (of Horndean) on pages 25 to 28.

I didn't know that the Farley Mount monument standing today is actually the second monument on the site or also that the horse, then renamed, later won Hunters Plate at Winchester Races.

Tim Radford

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Beware Chalk Pit
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 27 Oct 13 - 03:01 PM

From The Sporting Magazine, Volume 11 (London: March, 1798), page 296:

The following is inscribed on a Pedestal, erected at Farley, in Hampshire.

Underneath lies buried a horse, the property of Paulet St. John, Esq. that in the month of September, 1733, leaped into a chalk pit, a fox hunting, twenty-five feet deep, with his master on his back, and in October 1734, he won the Hunters plate on Worthy Downs, and was rode by his owner, and entered in the name of "BEWARE CHALK PIT."

Subject: On Farley Mount
From: GUEST,Diane K
Date: 04 Feb 17 - 05:47 PM

The wiki page (and many more) for Farley Mount mentions a famous local folk song "on Farley Mount" but even though I'm a local I've not heard it - anyone know it?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Beware Chalk Pit (Graham Penny)
From: RTim
Date: 04 Feb 17 - 08:17 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ag53HlsjCpE

Subject: "On Farley Mount"
From: GUEST,Diane K
Date: 05 Feb 17 - 11:34 AM

Fab video, but still hunting for the folk song "on Farley Mount"