London is a Fine Town

Watton Town's End

London is a Fine Town or Watton Town's End is an English Country Dance. It was published by John Playford (website) in 1657 in The Dancing Master, 3rd ed., London. It was interpreted by Cecil Sharp (website) in 1911 and published in The Country Dance Book (Part 2). It is a proper Duple Minor dance. The minor set lasts 8 bars.

Playford writes:

Lead up and fall back, jump up all to your own and turn round S. That again.
The two first men and the first wo. fall back from your own and meet, jump up thrice to your own, and the 1. cu. cast off into the 2. cu. place, while the 2. cu. slip up into the 1. cu. place. Do this to all the rest following
The first man and second wo. change places, then the first wo. and second man change places and jump up thrice to their own, and then change places with your own, the rest following
The first and second cu. take hands and go half round and jump to your own, then change places with your own. Do this to all the rest following

The animation plays at 120 counts per minute normally, but the first time through the set the dance will often be slowed down so people can learn the moves more readily. Men are drawn as rectangles, women as ellipses. Each couple is drawn in its own color, however the border of each dancer indicates what role they currently play so the border color may change each time through the minor set.

(Intro).A11-4Up a double, and fall back
5-6Jump on the next three counts
7-8Turn single
(Intro).A21-8That again, up a double, back, jump, turn single
I.A1-4Fall back with neighbor and come forward
5-6Jump on the next 3 counts
7-81s cast down as 2s lead up
II.A1-21st corners change
3-42nd corners change
5-6Jump on the next 3 counts
7-8Partner change
III.A1-4Circle left half
5-6Jump on the next 3 counts
7-8Partner change

If you find what you believe to be a mistake in this animation, please leave a comment on youtube explaining what you believe to be wrong. If I agree with you I shall do my best to fix it.

If you wish to link to this animation please see my comments on the perils of youtube. You may freely link to this page, of course, and that should have no problems, but use one of my redirects when linking to the youtube video itself:
https://www.upadouble.info/redirect.php?id=LondonIsAFineTown

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The dance itself is out of copyright, and is in the public domain. The interpretation is out of copyright, and is in the public domain. My visualization of this dance is copyright © 2021 by George W. Williams V and is released under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

This website is copyright © 2021,2022,2023,2024 by George W. Williams V
Creative Commons License My work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Most of the dances have more restrictive licensing, see my notes on copyright, the individual dance pages should mention when some rights are waived.