The Holmfirth Anthem: A Yorkshire Village Carol

The Holmfirth Anthem—also known as Pratty Flowers, Through the Groves, or Abroad for Pleasure—is an enduring folk song from Holmfirth in West Yorkshire. Though secular in theme, it is often collected into the region’s “village carol” tradition, sung annually and at festive gatherings across the county.

Although widely credited to Joe Perkin of Holmfirth, historians now believe he arranged the hymn-like four-part harmony—rather than composing its lyrics or melody, which likely derive from an earlier 18th‑century broadside ballad known as The Maiden’s Complaint for the Loss of Her Shepherd.

Common Version Sung in Holmfirth

Below is the version most frequently sung locally, typically with a soloist delivering the first couple of lines of each stanza, followed by the chorus in harmony:

Verse 1

Abroad for pleasure as I was a-walking,
It was one summer’s evening clear.
There I beheld a most beautiful damsel,
Lamenting for her shepherd dear.

Chorus (repeated after each verse)

Abroad for pleasure as I was a-walking,
It was one summer’s evening clear.
There I beheld a most beautiful damsel,
Lamenting for her shepherd dear.

Verse 2

The dearest evening that ever I beheld,
Was ever, ever, ever with the lad I adore.
Wilt thou go fight the French and Spaniards,
Wilt thou leave me thus, my dear?

Verse 3

No more to yon green banks will I take thee,
With pleasure for to rest thyself and view the lambs.
But I will take thee to yon green gardens,
Where those pratty flowers grow,
Where those pratty, pratty flowers grow.

A Song That Lives in Yorkshire

Despite references to “summer’s evening”, The Holmfirth Anthem has found its home in Yorkshire’s folk tradition—often sung at village events, local concerts, and even as a “carol” at Christmas in rural singing sessions. It remains a beloved and unifying piece of Yorkshire culture, both in formal choral settings and informal community singing.