Up a double, Siding, Arming
Country Dances, Ancient and Modern

Early Sources of RSCDS dances

None of the dances published by the RSCDS before book 13 were devised by the RSCDS, instead they were considered "traditional" dances. Many dances published in subsequent books fall into that category as well. I have tried to track down the sources of these dances and display here the earliest published versions of the dance's figure which I've been able to find.

Note: this is often different from the earliest dance with that name. The dance's name was often the name of the tune to which it was danced, and many tunes had multiple figures attached to them, so care must be taken.
Note also: there may very well be earlier sources than "the earliest published version ... which I've been able to find". Many early sources have been lost to the ravages of time, and others have simply escaped my notice. And in other cases the publication dates are uncertain, and which is earliest may be indeterminate.

In some cases the RSCDS mentions a source. Often I have found earlier examples of the dance. Sometimes I have been unable to find the RSCDS source and will present the earliest source I have found.

When I know the deviser, I mark the name in italics. In most cases for these old dances I only know the publisher.

When a dance source is marked with "†" it means I have been unable to verify the source of the dance, when it is marked with "‡" it means I have been unable to find any Scottish dance manual containing this dance (prior to 1924).

Hovering the mouse over a dance's devisor/publisher will (often) produce a popup containing the text of the original.

By default the list below shows only traditional dances interpreted by the (R)SCDS. I believe that Book 34 (1986) was the last book to contain any traditional dances. Before Book 13 all (R)SCDS dances were traditional, but Book 13 contains The Reel of the 51st Division, the first published modern dance. No further modern dances were published until Book 22 (1963), and after that some books contained modern and some traditional dances until Books 31&34, which contains both.

At the end I have several tables of statistics.

Order by:
Include:
(R)SCDS Book Range:
Containing figure:

(R)SCDS Book 2, 1925

Delvine Side
William Campbell, London, ~1800
Campbell's 15th Book of New and Favorite Country Dances & Strathspey Reels

(R)SCDS Book 4, 1927

Light and Airy
William Campbell, London, ~1804†‡
Campbell's 19th Book of New and Favorite Country Dances, & Strathspey Reels

(R)SCDS Book 5, 1929

Dumbarton Drums ~ RSCDS
Thomas Wilson, London, 1816‡
A Companion to the Ball Room
Jenny's Bawbee ~ RSCDS
Thomas Wilson, London, 1816‡
A Companion to the Ball Room

(R)SCDS Book 6, 1930

The Bob of Fettercairn
William Campbell, London, ~1796†‡
Campbell's 11th Book of New and Favorite Country Dances & Strathspey Reels

(R)SCDS Book 7, 1931

The Highland Plaid
William Campbell, London, ~1788†‡
Campbell's Third Collection of the newest and most favorite Country Dances & Cotillions

(R)SCDS Book 8, 1932

Peggy's Love ~ RSCDS
Thomas Wilson, London, 1816‡
A Companion to the Ball Room
Tulloch Gorm
William Campbell, London, ~1796†‡
Campbell's 11th Book of New and Favorite Country Dances & Strathspey Reels

(R)SCDS Book 9, 1934

The Duchess of Atholl's Slipper ~ RSCDS
Longman & Broderip, London, 1790‡
Longman and Broderip's Fourth Selection of...Country Dances, Reels &c.

(R)SCDS Book 10, 1935

The Shepherd's Crook - Book 10
Anonymous, Roxburghshire, date unknown†

(R)SCDS Book 11, 1936

The Long Chase
Blantyre MS, Scotland, ~1805†
Rakes of Glasgow
Preston, London, 1806‡
Twelve Favorite Country Dances for the Year 1806

(R)SCDS Book 12, 1938

Earl of Home
Nathaniel Gow, Edinburgh, ~1820

(R)SCDS Book 14, 1947

The De'il Amang the Tailors
Joseph Dale, [Unknown City], ~1799
Dale's Collection of Reels and Dances
Push about the Jorum ~ RSCDS
Bride, London, 1775‡
Bride's Favorite Collection of Two Hundred Select Country Dances

(R)SCDS Book 15, 1949

The Camp of Pleasure
Platt, London, 1791
Six Cotillions and 12 Country Dances, for the Year 1791
Lochiel's Awa' To France
Blantyre MS, Scotland, 1805

RSCDS Book 16, 1951

Lord Hume's Reel ~ RSCDS
Thomas Wilson, London, 1816‡
A Companion to the Ball Room

RSCDS Book 17, 1953 (Coronation Book)

Twenty-First of September
Anonymous, date unknown†

RSCDS Book 18, 1955

Lady Auckland's Reel
William Campbell, London, ~1793†‡
Campbell's Eighth Collection of the newest & most favorite Country Dances and Reels
Prince of Wales
William Campbell, London, 1795†‡
Campbell's 10th Book of New and Favorite Country Dances & Strathspey Reels

RSCDS Book 19, 1957

Admiral Nelson
Blantyre MS, Scotland, 1805†
None So Pretty - Wilson ~ RSCDS
Thomas Wilson, London, 1816
A Companion to the Ball Room
Rakish Highlandman ~ RSCDS
Thomas Wilson, London, 1816‡
A Companion to the Ball Room

RSCDS Book 20, 1959

The Express
Thomas Wilson, London, 1814†‡
Le Sylphe, An Elegant Collection of Twenty four Country Dances, for the Year 1814
Miss Devon's Reel
D. Mackenzie, London, 1795‡
Campbell's 10th Book of New and Favorite Country Dances & Strathspey Reels
Village Reel
William Campbell, London, ~1793†‡
Campbell's Eighth Collection of the newest & most favorite Country Dances and Reels

RSCDS Book 21, 1961

Marchioness of Blandford's Reel ~ RSCDS
William Campbell, London, ~1795
Campbell's 10th Book of New and Favorite Country Dances & Strathspey Reels

RSCDS Book 22, 1963

Balmoral Strathspey
John A. Charles, Kawerau, NZ., ~1963
RSCDS Book 22
Peggy's Wedding
Mr and Mrs G Drysdale, Mombasa, Kenya, 1963
RSCDS Book 22

RSCDS Book 23, 1967

The Auld Alliance
Jacques and Liliane Chamoin, Paris, 1967
RSCDS Book 23
Miss Hadden's Reel
RSCDS Publications Committee, [Unknown City], 1967
RSCDS Book 23

RSCDS Book 24, 1968

Adieu Mon Ami
Thomas Wilson, London, 1814
Le Sylphe, An Elegant Collection of Twenty four Country Dances, for the Year 1814

RSCDS Book 25, 1970

Lady of the Lake ~ RSCDS
Hill MS, Aberdeenshire, 1841†

RSCDS Book 27, 1975

Duchess of York
Preston, London, 1797†‡
Preston's New Country Dances
Miss Murray of Lintrose
John Bowie, Perth, 1789
A Collection of Strathspey Reels and Country Dances

RSCDS Book 28, 1977

Miss Shaftesbury's Fancy
Anonymous, date unknown†

RSCDS Book 29, 1979

Land o' Cakes
G. Goulding, London, 1793‡
Twenty four Country Dances for the Year 1793

RSCDS Book 32, 1984

A Trip to the Netherlands
Anna C Holden, Birmingham, 1982
RSCDS Book 32

RSCDS Book 37, 1992 (Frae A' The Airts, Vol. 2)

Wisp of Thistle
Pat Kent, [Unknown City], ~1992
RSCDS Book 37

RSCDS Book 38, 1994

My Friend Joe
Robert M Campbell, Ontario, Ca., ~1994
RSCDS Book 38
A Trip to the Drakensberg
Barbara J Rendle-Braime, [Unknown City], ~1994
RSCDS Book 38

RSCDS Book 39, 1996

Joie de Vivre
Irene van Maarseveen, [Unknown City], 1996
RSCDS Book 39

RSCDS Book 46, 2010

The Flower of Glasgow
Ruth Taylor, [Unknown City], 2010
RSCDS Book 46
High Society
John Brenchley, [Unknown City], ~2010
RSCDS Book 46

RSCDS Book 47, 2013 (90th Aniversary)

Linnea's Strathspey
Tim Wilson, [Unknown City], 2001
RSCDS Book 47

RSCDS Book 48, 2014

The Golden Years
Nora Sutherland, [Unknown City], ~2014
RSCDS Book 48
Rougemont Castle
Duncan Brown, [Unknown City], ~2009
RSCDS Book 48

RSCDS Book 49, 2015

The Library of Birmingham
Kenneth J Reid, [Unknown City], 2015
RSCDS Book 49

RSCDS Book 51, 2017

Fair Enough
Liza Halpenny, [Unknown City], 2014
RSCDS Book 51

RSCDS Book 54, 2025

Thank You Patricia
Deb Lees, [Unknown City], ~2025
RSCDS Book 54

Miss Milligan's Miscellany 1, ~1977

Inveraray
Anonymous, date unknown†
Lady C Bruce's Reel
Anonymous, 1801†
Ladies' Companion
Odd Thoughts
T. Straight, [Unknown City], 1783
24 Favourite Dances the Year 1783
Rosnor Abbey
Anonymous, date unknown†

Miss Milligan's Miscellany 2, ~1977

Captain Mackintosh ~ RSCDS
Thomas Wilson, London, 1816‡
A Companion to the Ball Room
Miss Margaret Hill
Anonymous, date unknown†
Prince Edward
Anonymous, date unknown†
Sandy o'er the Lea
Thomas Skillern, London, ~1776‡
Skillern's Compleat Collection of Two Hundred & Four Reels and Country Dances

Statistics

Number of dances published by city (or region)

London26
[Unknown]21
Scotland3
Aberdeenshire1
Birmingham1
Edinburgh1
Kawerau, NZ.1
Mombasa, Kenya1
Ontario, Ca.1
Paris1
Perth1
Roxburghshire1

Number of dances published by semi century

Unknown7
1750-179917
1800-184918
1950-19999
2000-20498

Number of dances by early publisher/devisor

William Campbell9
Thomas Wilson9
Anonymous8
Blantyre MS3
Preston2
Tim Wilson1
Thomas Skillern1
T. Straight1
Ruth Taylor1
Longman & Broderip1
RSCDS Publications Committee1
Platt1
Pat Kent1
Nora Sutherland1
Nathaniel Gow1
Mr and Mrs G Drysdale1
Robert M Campbell1
Anna C Holden1
Liza Halpenny1
Joseph Dale1
John Brenchley1
John Bowie1
John A. Charles1
Jacques and Liliane Chamoin1
Irene van Maarseveen1
Hill MS1
G. Goulding1
Duncan Brown1
Deb Lees1
D. Mackenzie1
Bride1
Barbara J Rendle-Braime1
Kenneth J Reid1

References

AnonymousLadies' Companion, 1801. I don't know where to find it.
"Blantyre MS, about 1805. Found in "The Atholl Collection" at the A K Bell Library of Perth.
"Hill MS, 1841. I don't know where to find it.
John BowieA Collection of Strathspey Reels and Country Dances, Perth, 1789. May be found in the British Library
BrideBride's Favorite Collection of Two Hundred Select Country Dances, London, 1775. Robert Keller's site says this may be found in the Dundee Public Library.
William CampbellCampbell's Third Collection of the newest and most favorite Country Dances & Cotillions, London, about 1788. May be found at the Cardiff University Library
"Campbell's Eighth Collection of the newest & most favorite Country Dances and Reels, London, about 1793. I don't know where to find it.
"Campbell's 10th Book of New and Favorite Country Dances & Strathspey Reels, London, 1795
"Campbell's 11th Book of New and Favorite Country Dances & Strathspey Reels, London, about 1796. May be found in the Havard University Library
"Campbell's 15th Book of New and Favorite Country Dances & Strathspey Reels, London, about 1800. I don't know where to find it.
"Campbell's 19th Book of New and Favorite Country Dances, & Strathspey Reels, London, about 1804. May be found in the Havard University Library
Joseph DaleDale's Collection of Reels and Dances, about 1799. Robert Keller's site says this may be found in the Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, NY, Vault MD.
G. GouldingTwenty four Country Dances for the Year 1793, London, 1793. Robert Keller's site says this may be found in the British Library
Longman & BroderipLongman and Broderip's Fourth Selection of...Country Dances, Reels &c., London, 1790. Robert Keller's site says this may be found in the Bodleian Library, Oxford, Mus.
PlattSix Cotillions and 12 Country Dances, for the Year 1791, London, 1791. I don't know where to find it.
PrestonPreston's New Country Dances, London, 1797. I don't know where to find it.
"Twelve Favorite Country Dances for the Year 1806 , London, 1806. Robert Keller's site says this may be found in the British Library
Thomas SkillernSkillern's Compleat Collection of Two Hundred & Four Reels and Country Dances, London, about 1776. Robert Keller's site says this may be found in the Mitchell Library, Glasgow.
T. Straight24 Favourite Dances the Year 1783, 1783
Thomas WilsonLe Sylphe, An Elegant Collection of Twenty four Country Dances, for the Year 1814, London, 1814. I don't know where to find it.
"A Companion to the Ball Room, London, 1816. Robert Keller's site says this may be found in the British Library

Scans of old dance manuals are scattered about the internet. The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library, International Music Score Library Project, Scott Pfitzinger's Playford site, Richard Powers' website, Library of Congress, and The Library of Dance all provide primary sources. A number of other sites provide indeces of these sources: The Regency Dance site, The Library of Dance again, and my own site have all proven useful for finding old sources. Finally there is Robert Keller's index which does not provide sources directly but lists thousands of dances, the publications containing them, dates and a brief coded description of the figures. This last has proven invaluable for tracking down dances for which I had no complete sources.

And, of course, both the Scottish Country Dance Database and the Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary provide online descriptions of all the RSCDS books and often hint at early sources.

This website is copyright © 2021-2026 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.