"Lanercost" is a folk song by the folk rock group Steeleye Span. It was released as the B-side of the single "Somewhere in London" in 1985. It then featured on their 1986 album ''

Back in Line ''Back in Line'' is the twelfth studio album by British folk rock band Steeleye Span. The album was released in 1986, after a hiatus of almost 6 years. It is their first album without founding member Tim Hart, who quit the music business ent ...

'' and was later included on the 1999 ''A Rare Collection 1972-1996''. "Lanercost" was written by

Maddy Prior Madelaine Edith Prior MBE (born 14 August 1947) is an English folk singer, best known as the lead vocalist of Steeleye Span. She was born in Blackpool and moved to St Albans in her teens. Her father, Allan Prior, was co-creator of the police ...

(who sings the lead vocals on the piece) and

Rick Kemp Frederick Stanley 'Rick' Kemp (born 15 November 1941) is an English bass player, guitarist, songwriter, vocalist and record producer, best known for his work with the British folk rock band Steeleye Span. Projects In the 1960s, he shot to promi ...

Lyrics and content

Lanercost is a village near to a

priory A priory is a monastery of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. Priories may be houses of mendicant friars or nuns (such as the Dominicans, Augustinians, Franciscans, and Carmelites), or monasteries of ...

of the same name in the north of

Cumbria Cumbria ( ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in North West England, bordering Scotland. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local government, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. C ...

, close to the Scottish border. The lyrics describe part of the life of English

King Edward I Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he ruled the duchies of Aquitaine and Gascony as a vassal ...

, who fought to subdue the Scottish. Towards the end of his life, the King spent time at Lanercost Priory, directing a campaign against

Robert the Bruce Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (Scottish Gaelic: ''Raibeart an Bruis''), was King of Scots from 1306 to his death in 1329. One of the most renowned warriors of his generation, Robert eventual ...

. The King, although ill, caught and hanged three of the Bruce's (four) brothers. Ultimately, however, he died when leading his army north. Each of the four verses begins by describing the actions of the canons (priests) at the priory - fishing; praying; working in the

scriptorium Scriptorium (), literally "a place for writing", is commonly used to refer to a room in medieval European monasteries devoted to the writing, copying and illuminating of manuscripts commonly handled by monastic scribes. However, lay scribes an ...

and finally carrying the King's coffin. The rest of each verse then discusses Edward and his actions - lying in bed "cursing fate" (as he is too ill to fight); delighting at his capture and execution of the Bruce's brothers; leaving to ride north and then dying before his work can be finished. The chorus is centered on a repetition of the

Kyrie eleison Kyrie, a transliteration of Greek , vocative case of (''Kyrios''), is a common name of an important prayer of Christian liturgy, also called the Kyrie eleison ( ; ). In the Bible The prayer, "Kyrie, eleison," "Lord, have mercy" derives f ...

(in fact spelled 'elaison' in the sleeve notes), presumably suggesting that this would have been sung by the canons themselves. The Kyrie lyrics are not included on the Shanachie LP liner notes.

Variants

According to Reinhard Zierke,Zierke, Reinhard. ''Steeleye Span: Lanercost''. http://mainlynorfolk.info/steeleye.span/songs/lanercost.html the single version has an instrumental ending whereas the album version ends with an a cappella chorus.

Notes

{{authority control British folk songs Steeleye Span songs 1985 songs