Cranbrook (hymn tune)

"Cranbrook", also known as "Northampton", is a hymn tune composed in the 1790s or early 1800s by Thomas Clark (1775–1859), a cobbler from Canterbury,[1] and is best known as the tune to the Yorkshire "national anthem" "On Ilkla Moor Baht 'at".[2][3]

The tune was originally published in A Sett of Psalm & Hymn Tunes with some Select Pieces and an Anthem in 1805 as a setting for "Grace 'tis a charming sound" by Philip Doddridge,[1] but soon became more widely known as a tune for "While shepherds watched their flocks" by Nahum Tate. The tune is in the metre of 86.88.666 but is commonly used with lyrics in common metre (86.86). In order to fit, the third line is sung twice and the fourth three times as in "Grace 'tis a charming sound", "O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing", "While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks" and "On Ilkla Moor baht 'at".

Thomas Clark was a regular visitor to Cranbrook, Kent, in the 1790s, and may have composed the tune there, possibly with the help of a local schoolmaster, John Francis.

Clark later became a choirmaster and composed many other tunes for churches and Sunday schools.[3][1]

Music

The following is a rendition of the tune, as heard from "While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks".

\layout { indent = 0\cm \set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t \context { \Score \remove "Bar_number_engraver" } \context { \Voice \remove "Dynamic_engraver" } } { \new GrandStaff << \language "english" \new Staff \with { \consists "Merge_rests_engraver" } << \set Score.midiInstrument = "acoustic grand piano" \new Voice \relative c'' { \tempo 2 = 74 \voiceOne \clef treble \key c \major \time 2/2 c2 g4. a8 | g4( f) e( d) | c2. g'4 | c( b) a( g) | a( g) f( e) | e2( d4) r4 | \break g2 g4. a8 | b4 g a b | c2 r2 | R1 | d2 d4. d8 | \break b4 d d, fs | g2. g4 | c4. c8 c4 b | c2. d4 | \break e4. e8 e4 d | e2. e4 | d2 c | c b | c1\fermata } \new Voice \relative c' { \voiceTwo e2 g4. f8 | e4( d) c( b) | c2. e4 | e( g) f( e) | c2 b4( c) | c2( b4) r4 | R1 | R | g'2 e4. f8 | g4 e c' a | g g fs4. fs8 | g4 d b d | d2. g4 | e4. e8 e4 d | e2. g4 | g4. g8 g4 g | g2. g4 | f2 g4( f) | e2 d4( f) | e1\fermata } >> \new Staff \with { \consists "Merge_rests_engraver" } << \new Voice \relative c' { \clef bass \key c \major \time 2/2 \voiceOne g2 c4. c8 | c4( g ~ g) f | e2. c'4 | c2 c | c g | g2. r4 | b2 b4. c8 | d4 b c d | e2 r2 | R1 | b2 a4. a8 | b4 g g c | b2. r4 | c2 c,4 d' | c4. c8 c4 b4 | c2 e,4 b'4 | c4. c8 c4 g | b2 g4( a) | g2 g | g1\fermata } \new Voice \relative c { \voiceTwo c2 e4. f8 | g2 g,2 | c2. c4 | c2 c | f4( e) d( c) | g2. r4 | R1 | R | c2 c4. d8 | e4 c c fs | g g d4. d8 | g4 b, d d | g2. r4 | r2 r4 g | c,4. c8 e4 g4 | c2. g4 | g4. g8 g4 c, | g'2 e4( f) | g2 g, | c1\fermata \bar "|." } >> >> }

References

  1. 1 2 3 Singleton, Tony. "Thomas Clark of Canterbury, 1775 – 1859". West Gallery Music Association (WGMA). Retrieved 11 August 2026.
  2. ↑ Nettel, Reginald (1954). Sing a Song of England: A Social History of Traditional Song. Phoenix House. p. 167. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
  3. 1 2 "CRANBROOK: Composer: Thomas Clark". Hymnary. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
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