A WELL-known folk singer has waxed lyrical about the city as part of a musical collaboration with English Heritage.

Lucy Farrell has performed a song called The Lady of Carlisle on a video which uses the city’s castle as the backdrop.

It forms part of a collection in an online ‘voice map’ called Songs of England — which listeners can stream for free.

The folk songs have been put together by the Nest Collective, a group of musicians, to offer an ‘escape into England’s story’ during the pandemic.

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Lucy’s rendition is one of 12 paired to English Heritage sites from “Carlisle Castle to Dover Castle”.

According to a spokeswoman from the collective Lucy’s song: “Tells the tale of a woman, courted by two men, who tests her suitors with a dangerous trial of courage in a den of beasts."

Hadrian’s Wall, also gets a look-in with a performance by The Brothers Gillespie who performed When Fortune Turns the Wheel.

Sam Gillespie, who sings with brother James, said: "It's the kind of song that puts courage in your soul and calls you back to yourself.

"It conjures to the imagination a tavern or house where old friends are drinking together on one of those rare and magical nights.

"Soon the speaker in the song must leave, unsure what the future holds but ready to meet the tides of fortune with courage and grace and to let go of the wounds of the past.

"We have known and loved the song since childhood when we heard it on the wonderful 1970s vinyl LP ‘Ranting Lads’ by the ‘High Level Ranters’ in our parents record collection."

The collection has been curated by musician Sam Lee, who is Mercury Prize Nominated, to offer “an armchair escape into England’s story”.

Sam said: “We hope these songs inspire a fresh connection with the history and spirit of these remarkable places.”

For information about the voice map go online to English Heritage’s website to: voicesmap.english-heritage.org.uk