Whitehead's folly
A Nottinghamshire folk song
By R B Parish
In Mansfield library are some typed notes of various folk songs recorded by a Malcolm Seymour from Mansfield. I am unclear of the age and provenance of the folk songs, but as each one records well known local legends I believe they are worth discussing. One of these recalls the story of Whitehead. It goes as follows:
“On the top of Berry Hill, On the edge of Mansfield Town, Stood Old Whitehead’s Folly, Long since tumbled down,
Chorus: Poor Old Whitehead! Poor Old Whitehead! Poor Old Whitehead! The poor old fellow’s dead!
Three hundred years ago, A smallpox plague broke out, Alas! I fear twill kill me! Old Whitehead he did shout.
Chorus: Poor Old Whitehead! Poor Old Whitehead! Poor Old Whitehead! The poor old fellow’s dead!
He fled to Berry Hill. Twas land that he did own, And there he built his folly, From finest Portland stone,
Chorus: Poor Old Whitehead! Poor Old Whitehead! Poor Old Whitehead! The poor old fellow’s dead!
For weeks the plague did rage, And many hundreds fell, But Whitehead did not worry, He felt that all was well.
Chorus: Poor Old Whitehead! Poor Old Whitehead! Poor Old Whitehead! The poor old fellow’s dead!
But a woman came to him, With straw to fill his bed. Alas! She had the smallpox, And Whitehead soon was dead.
Chorus: Poor Old Whitehead! Poor Old Whitehead! Poor Old Whitehead! The poor old fellow’s dead!
And so the weeks rolled past, But no-one came that way, So alone in his folly Poor Old Whitehead lay.
Chorus: Poor Old Whitehead! Poor Old Whitehead! Poor Old Whitehead! The poor old fellow’s dead!”
The story is a common folk motif where, fearful of death, a figure retreats from society. Often, like Nan Scott (of Holme near Newark) the individual survives only to find no-one else has (or in her case one other!) In Whitehead’s story, it appears the ‘author’ of this piece is out to mock Whitehead for wanting to isolate himself and scornfully and perhaps gleefully recants his death as a punishment for not approaching the coming epidemic like the rest of the community. Mayfield (1979) tells that the story dates back to around 200-300 years ago and now there is no physical record of what Whitehead’s folly looked like.
The author is preparing a book on Nottinghamshire folklore. Any correspondence on this matter is greatly received. Rossparish@hotmail.com
References:
Seymour, M., (undated) Whitehead’s folly
Mayfield, P (1979) Legends of Nottinghamshire