The history of how a folk song came to be known as the Sussex Carol is surprising and fascinating. How did it become the popular Christmas carol it is today, and why have millions of people worldwide resonated with it so much emotionally and spiritually?
As discussed below, the origin of many old hymns is very complicated. We can’t always determine who the original composer was. However, we do have a record of the modern lyrics to the Sussex Carol:
On Christmas night all Christians sing
To hear the news the angels bring
On Christmas night all Christians sing
To hear the news the angels bringNews of great joy, news of great mirth
News of our merciful King's birthThen why should men on earth be so sad?
Since our Redeemer made us glad
Then why should men on earth be so sad?
Since our Redeemer made us gladWhen from our sin he set us free
All for to gain our liberty?When sin departs before His grace
Then life and health come in its place
When sin departs before His grace
Then life and health come in its placeAngels and men with joy may sing
All for to see the newborn KingAll out of darkness we have light
Which made the angels sing this night
All out of darkness we have light
Which made the angels sing this night“Glory to God and peace to men
Now and for evermore, amen!”
Historical evidence sometimes gives the original source for a hymn, but for the most part, this is not usually the case. Many songs and carols begin as stories passed from generation to generation and then become popularized by well-known musicians.
We can say who recorded the modern lyrics above. The English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams first heard the melody in 1904 when he discovered singer Harriet Verrall singing it. Vaughan was passionate about Christmas and saw that many great Christmas folk songs were passed down through English oral tradition but were often forgotten or changed form. He gathered a compilation of these songs and transcribed them so they would be preserved.
English musician Cecil Sharp helped Vaughan with his creative project. Sharp was born in London in 1859 and studied at Cambridge University. In 1899, Sharp discovered folk dance and became a pioneering figure in the folk music movement. Sharp is known as the founding father of the folk movement in England. Out of this movement came many famous folk songs such as The Lark Ascending and A Sea Symphony. William studied piano, orchestration, and music composition in his music education at the Royal College of Music in London, Trinity College in Cambridge, and Berlin and Paris.
Although Sharp was the first person to print the modern Sussex Carol’s lyrics, its source is a folk song that likely goes back many generations before its first recorded appearance.
Its earliest recorded lyrics appear in a book published in 1684 by Irish bishop Luke Wadding called The Small Garland of Pious and Godly Songs. Scholars do not know if Wadding originally wrote the lines or if they were his rendition. Revised editions of the book were published in 1728 and 1731. This book greatly influenced the county of Wexford in Ireland but had a larger impact: its songs played in churches and cathedrals throughout Europe.
Wadding was born into a large family in Wexford, Ireland, in 1588. During his youth, Wadding learned Latin and Catholic catechism, read the classics, and showed promise as a writer. In 1651, Wadding left Ireland to pursue a career in France, where he lived for 17 years and became an ordained Roman Catholic priest. In 1668, Wadding received his Doctor of Divinity from the Sorbonne. Wadding returned to Ireland and served the County Wexford community as a bishop. He died in 1687.
Because of Wadding and William’s love for poetry, hymns, and carols, the Sussex Carol became a well-known hymn sung in churches, cathedrals, and Christmas parties. It continues to be a popular hymn proclaiming the love of Christ.
Though the Sussex Carol does not explicitly quote any verses from The Bible, it does convey the theological virtue of hope found throughout the biblical narrative. The carol conveys the long-anticipated arrival of Jesus’ Incarnation and salvation available to all people through His Death and Resurrection.
The festive season of Christmas is central to Sussex Carol’s theme of Christ coming to dwell in our hearts. Today, Christmas is often seen as a special time for families and friends to gather to exchange gifts and have time off from work. For Christians, Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Christ—something that the church has celebrated at least as early as 336 AD.
The Incarnation of the Son of God had been anticipated for thousands of years and found in Old Testament prophetic texts such as Isaiah 9:6, “For a child is born unto us, a son hath been given unto us, and the government is placed on his shoulders; and his name is called, Wonderful, counselor of the mighty God, of the everlasting Father, the prince of peace.”
While we often assume Christ was born in the year we know as 1 AD, scholars like N.T. Wright note that the medieval dating system is off by a handful of years. So Jesus was probably born between 4 and 6 BC.
A poignant New Testament passage found in Luke 2:9-12 about the coming of Christ makes a bold proclamation when the angel Gabriel appears to the shepherds keeping watch over their flocks, "An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today, in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Many people assumed the Messiah’s arrival would lead to a triumphant military campaign against the Romans. They predicted that the savior would overthrow people and cleanse the temple for the worship of Yahweh. Contrary to this view, Christ was the suffering servant to redeem humanity. The reality that the God who created time, space, and human beings would rescue all his children simply because He loves them is the ultimate display of humility and agape love.
The Bible expresses hope from the fall of humanity through the Old Testament prophets to the gospel writers and letters written by St. Paul in the New Testament. This hope, offered through Christ’s redemption, is not wishful thinking but the greatest gift offered to all of humanity. In our confused world where we yearn for hope, hymns like the Sussex Carol can be a balm to the soul of those looking for hope in Christ.
Photo Credit:©Getty Images/Losw
Justin Wiggins is an author who works and lives in the primitive, majestic, beautiful mountains of North Carolina. He graduated with his Bachelor's in English Literature, with a focus on C.S. Lewis studies, from Montreat College in May 2018. His first book was Surprised by Agape, published by Grant Hudson of Clarendon House Publications. His second book, Surprised By Myth, was co-written with Grant Hudson and published in 2021. Many of his recent books (Marty & Irene, Tír na nÓg, Celtic Twilight, Celtic Song, Ragnarok, Celtic Dawn) are published by Steve Cawte of Impspired.
Wiggins has also had poems and other short pieces published by Clarendon House Publications, Sehnsucht: The C.S. Lewis Journal, and Sweetycat Press. Justin has a great zeal for life, work, community, writing, literature, art, pubs, bookstores, coffee shops, and for England, Scotland, and Ireland.
This article is part of our larger Christmas and Advent resource library centered around the events leading up to the birth of Jesus Christ. We hope these articles help you understand the meaning and story behind important Christian holidays and dates and encourage you as you take time to reflect on all that God has done for us through His Son, Jesus Christ!
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