THE RUTHIN CASTLE SINGERS - “MEDIÆVAL BANQUET” LP.
MEDIÆVAL BANQUETS RECORDS MB 100 / MONO / FIRST PRESSING / RELEASED IN WALES IN 1969 / STUNNING GARROD & LOFTHOUSE JACKET.
The Ruthin Castle Singers – Medieval Banquet (Mediaeval Banquets MB 100 / MB-100), UK 1969 mono LP.
This is a private-press / souvenir album produced for (and sold to) guests attending the medieval-style banquets at Ruthin Castle in Denbighshire, North Wales. The group provided live entertainment at these events—costumed “Ladies of the Court,” Court Steward Bernard Woolford (who also produced and wrote liner notes), and harpists performing traditional Welsh and English folk songs, some in Welsh, some in English, plus a few period or light classical pieces.
It is very much a local souvenir recording rather than a commercial folk album. Side A leans toward a recreated banquet atmosphere; Side B is cleaner and more studio-like. The tracklist mixes well-known Welsh standards with lighter material:
Welsh highlights: Bugeilio’r Gwenith Gwyn, Ar Hyd Y Nos (All Through the Night), Cyfri’r Geifr, Dafydd y Garreg Wen, Suo Gân, Gadael Cymru, Titrwm Tatrwm, etc.
English/folk: The Foggy Dew, Miller of the Dee, Greensleeves, Have You Seen But a White Lily Grow, Come Follow, etc.
Opening toast Hir Oes, Lechyd Da and closing Adieu.
Label is the castle’s own Mediaeval Banquets imprint (pressed by Transcription Ltd., sleeve by Garrod & Lofthouse). There is a later related stereo LP under the Welsh name Cantorion y Wledd Ganoloesol Castell Rhuthin – Caneuon y Castell on Wren Records (WRL 548), but MB 100 is the original 1969 mono souvenir edition.
VINYL AND JACKET ARE BOTH VG WITH MODERATE OVERALL STORAGE AND SHELF WEAR… A SMATTERING OF SUPERFICIAL PAPER MARKS ON ONE SIDE, BUT NOTHING EGREGIOUS. PLAY TESTED AND VPI-MACHINE CLEANED… PLAYS AND SOUNDS TERRIFIC! JACKET HAS SOME LIGHT COLOR FOXING ON THE BACK COVER, A GOOD BIT OF SEAM WEAR (THOUGH NO SPLIT SEAMS!), BUMPED CORNERS… LIKE MOST GARROD & LOFTHOUSE JACKETS, THIS ONE IS CLARIFOIL WRAPPED AND THE FRONT COVER COLORS ARE STILL BRIGHT AND IMPRESSIVE… DIG IN!
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