Alfred Edward Housman: Collected Lyrics
06 / 63
Public-domain lyrics

Bredon Hill

Alfred Edward Housman

“Bredon Hill” as printed in A Shropshire Lad (1896).

Alfred Edward Housman: Collected Lyrics Text 6 1896 · historical text
Public domainSong lyricsVictorian song
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from A Shropshire Lad, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

In summertime on Bredon

The bells they sound so clear;

Round both the shires they ring them

In steeples far and near,

A happy noise to hear.

Verse 2

Here of a Sunday morning

My love and I would lie,

And see the coloured counties,

And hear the larks so high

About us in the sky.

Verse 3

The bells would ring to call her

In valleys miles away:

'Come all to church, good people;

Good people, come and pray.'

But here my love would stay.

Verse 4

And I would turn and answer

Among the springing thyme,

'Oh, peal upon our wedding,

And we will hear the chime,

And come to church in time.'

Verse 5

But when the snows at Christmas

On Bredon top were strown,

My love rose up so early

And stole out unbeknown

And went to church alone.

Verse 6

They tolled the one bell only,

Groom there was none to see,

The mourners followed after,

And so to church went she,

And would not wait for me.

Verse 7

The bells they sound on Bredon,

And still the steeples hum.

'Come all to church, good people,'—

—Oh, noisy bells, be dumb;

I hear you, I will come.

Credits

Written by Alfred Edward Housman

Words by Alfred Edward Housman. Historical text published in A Shropshire Lad (1896); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

A Shropshire Lad (1896), “Bredon Hill”

A. E. Housman (1859-1936) died more than 89 years ago; his works entered the public domain in life-plus-70 jurisdictions in 2007, and the 1896 first edition is in the public domain in the United States. Entries credited to other hands are held unless their author died more than 70 years ago.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-27. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
Keep tracing

More from Alfred Edward Housman: Collected Lyrics.

01'T is time, I think, by Wenlock townPublic-domain lyrics021887Public-domain lyrics03Along the field as we came byPublic-domain lyrics04As through the wild green hills of WyrePublic-domain lyrics