Ritual Songs

Many of our folk songs arise from cermonies or rituals, or are just seasonal. Carols for Christmas, Easter, and May Day, Wassail songs would come under this heading, as would pace egg and mummers' songs. There are special songs like The Shrove Tuesday Song, Hunting the Wren, Hal-an-Tow, and the Padstow May Song.

• Sections on soldiers' songs are to be found in The Folk Songs of Britain