The oldest item in the FARNE archives - The Henry Atkinson tune book
Atkinson, Henry: Henry Atkinson manuscript tune book (1694/5) - The pride of the collection, this is one of the earliest known tune books in Britain. The book has what appears to be the earliest known versions of 'Bobby Shaftoe' ('Brave Willy Forster'), 'Sir John Fenwick' ('The Flower of Yarraw') and 'Wylam Away' ('Gingling Geordy'), all of which have continued to be played by pipers and fiddlers in the region to the present day.
Exhibition of Northumbrian bagpipes in the Black Gate. Additional notes, photographs and measurements arranged and compiled by R.A.S. Cowper. 1966. The collection includes some of the earliest Northumbrian pipes and bagpipes in existence and is now held at the Morpeth Chantry Bagpipe Museum.
The oldest known set of Northumbrian Pipes - 17th century!
