A Pilgrimage in Search of Britain’s Oldest Lullaby
In 2017, we had just had the Brexit vote, and tensions between Europe and the UK were rising. I wanted to find a way to help promote peace.
So I decided to make a Wayfaring pilgrimage in a place where, 1700 years ago, Europe and Britain had clashed in bloody destruction.
So I decided to go hunting for a melody to fit the oldest lullaby in Britain.
It is called Pais Dinogad, and it comes from the margins of a 7th century Welsh poem called Y Goddodin.
It is the ancestor to ‘Bye Baby Bunting, Daddy’s gone a-hunting’, and tells the baby - Dinogad - that his absent father will soon return with game for the pot, food for the family.
The poem on which this lullaby was found is about the Welsh warriors all attempting to re-conquer Cumbria, and only a few returning.
So the best place I could imagine to go searching for the melody to this slightly dark lullaby was Anglesey - Ynys Mon - The Mother of Wales. Lullabies are traditionally associated with mothers, and here, 1750 years ago, Europe and Britain clashed with devastating results: the ancient British holy island of Mona was invaded by the Legions of Rome, and the Druids slaughtered.
So my pilgrimage was from the Roman fort of Caernarfon, to the holy mountain of Holyhead. I hoped that by connecting these two sites in a ritual journey, and by singing this lullaby in a variety of melodies, while I delved for a melody, that the song might balm the war-like spirits of both the dead Welsh and Roman warriors. Even the harshest warrior was once a baby.
And perhaps by calming this ancient clash, it might help soothe the rising tensions of the modern political breakdown.
I know, big ambitions for a song. What can I say? I’m a believer.
So the journey was made. The lullaby was sought. Something was found.
A year later, I found myself singing this song to Prince Charles. I’m not sure if he’s Roman or Druidic. But it was a good flourish.
Here is a video I made of singing this song in a place in Kent called ‘Old England Hole’, which has the legend of being the last defence of the British tribes when Caesar first invaded Britain in 55BC.
