Dorford Centre, Dorchester Bapist Church, 2 Bridport Rd, Dorchester DT1 1RR

Keepen Up O' Chris'mas

Please join members and friends of the William Barnes Society for our annual Christmas event which returns once again by popular demand! There will be a selection of seasonal readings from the poems of William Barnes. There will also be traditional carols and musical accompaniment. Bring Christmas cheer! Festive refreshments and tea and coffee will be served.

For further information please contact us via the contact page...

• Non-members are welcome to our events as advertised (£4 for entry)
• William Barnes Society members FREE. For more information on joining click here.

Keepen Up O' Chris'mas

By William Barnes

An’ zoo you didden come athirt,
To have zome fun last night: how wer’t?
Vor we’d a-worked wi’ all our might
To scour the iron things up bright,
An’ brush’d an’ scrubb’d the house all drough;
An’ brought in vor a brand, a plock
O’ wood so big’s an uppen-stock
An’ hung a bough o’ misseltoo,
An’ ax’d a merry friend or two,
To keepen up o’Christmas.

An’ there wer wold an’ young; an’ Bill,
Soon after dark, stalk’d up vrom mill.
An’ when he wer a-comin near,
He whissled loud vor me to hear;
Then roun’ my head my frock I roll’d,
An’ stood on orcha’d like a post,
To meake en think I wer a ghost.
But he wer up to’t, an did scwold
To vind me stannen in the cwold,
A-keepen up o’ Christmas.

We play’d at Forfeits, an’ we spun
The trencher roun’, an’ meade such fun!
An’ had a geame o’ dree-ceard loo,
An’ then begun to hunt the shoe.
An’ all the wold vo’k zitten near,
A-chatten roun’ the vier pleace,
Did smile in woone another’s feace,
An’ sheake right hands wi’ hearty cheer.
An’ let their left hands spill their beer,
A-keepen up o’ Christmas.

More events

From 01/08/2024 until 01/08/2025
Starts 00:00
William Barnes Harvest Celebration

On 10/12/2024
14:30 till 15:30
Keepen Up O' Chris'mas

On 22/02/2025
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Barnes Night: A Celebration of the Life and Work of William Barnes

On 20/03/2025
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A Dorset Spring through the Poetry of William Barnes

On 09/04/2025
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Friends Beyond - Barnes, Moule and Hardy