Annotation:Oxford Castle
X:1 T:Oxford Castle M:6/8 L:1/8 R:Jig C:"by Miss C. D____le" (Dalrymple, who composed another tune in the collection) B:John Watlen - The Celebrated Circus Tunes (Edinburgh, 1791, p. 23) Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion K:F f|FAc cAc|fdf cAc|dBd cAF|E<GG G2A| FAc cAc|fgf fcA|1 cfa bge|cff f2:| [2 cfa gec|cff f2||b|afa gec|f/g/af cAF| dBd cAf|E<GG G2b|afa gec|dfd cAF| A/B/cA GEC|CFF F2b|afa gec|dBf cAF|BdB cAc| E<GG G2A|FAc cAF|dBd cAF|A/B/cf dcB|AFF F2||
OXFORD CASTLE. Scottish, Jig (6/8 time). F Major (Watlen): G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AA'BB'. The jig was first printed by musician John Watlen in his Celebrated Circus Tunes (1791), attributed to "Miss C. D____le." "Miss Watson's Favorite"
in the same collection is also attributed to "Miss C.D.", as is "Miss W. Dalrymple's Fancy". "Sir George Ramsay's Lament" is attributed to "Miss C. Dal_____e." Presumably the composer was also a Dalrymple. Alexander Gibb, a dancing master from Haddington, dedicated his New Collection of Minuets, Medlies, High-Dances, Marches, Strathspey and other Reels (Edinburgh, 1798) to Miss C. Dalrymple. The composer may have been Miss Christian "Christy" Dalrymple of New Hailes (1765-1839) daughter of Anne Brown and David Dalrymple, Lord Hailes. She inherited the Newhailes estate in East Lothian, Scotland, in 1792 (where she lived for 46 years). The title of Baronet passed to her cousin, James Dalrymple, who became 4th baronet, of Hailes. However, the feudal title of Baron of Hailes did pass to Miss Dalrymple. Miss Dalrymple remained single all her life, and, as a unmarried landowner she enjoyed a large amount of independence and autonomy. The kept journals, noting in 1801: "Snow gone, wrote different notes and played on the harpsichord to Mr. Ure." Unfortunately, this is the only recorded mention of her musical ability[1].