Yorkshire’s famous melody came from Kent

it was interesting to read of Mr Gordon Eddison’s efforts to keep On Ilkla Moor Baht‘At alive amongst younger people (Yorkshire Post, November 18).

I would point out, however, that the tune is not a folk melody but a hymn tune composed in 1805 by one T Clarke in Cranbrook on the Kent/Sussex border. It was written at a time when Wesleyan hymn writers strove – with varying degrees of unsuccess – to emulate their musical god, Handel, with so-called fugueing hymns.

The tune Cranbrook can be found in the 1904 edition of the Wesleyan hymn book at No 17 in the additional tunes section.So the tune is not, as Gervase Phinn in one of his excellent books claims, a grand old Yorkshire tune but a hymn by a Kentish man.

The origin of the words is more problematical – I can find no sources. I must, therefore, use my imagination and I picture a Wesleyan Guild outing one Whit Monday in the late 19th century to Ilkley from Leeds or Bradford and some wit writes the verses to sing on the charabanc on the way home; needing a tune, everyone present would know Cranbrook and so this unknown lyricist puts the two together.

We can trace the source of the tune; does anyone out there know the identify of the inspired poet?