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A Song for Beds, Herts and Bucks

Watford Folk Club's songwriting competion entries of 2012

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The Banks of the Beane

By Blue Harbour (Phil Hewett and Jim Coombes)

Blue Harbour


To the other songs

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The Banks of the Beane

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The third Battle of Ypres, (Passchendaele) July 1917

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The last Highwayman hanged in England 1761-1802

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The Headless Horseman

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Other Links

Old Time Tim

To Tim Brooks' Home Page


     On the banks of The Beane, George and I we go walking
     The crystal clear water it makes our hearts sing
     Where the swallows swoop low
     George runs to and fro
     Scaring pheasant and partridge away
     Kingfishers and otters at play

                       But it's a dream for the river is gone
                       From Old Hall to Cromer we can't hear its song
                       And at Walkern the mill
                       It stands very still
                       As it grieves for the old River Beane.

      On the banks of The Beane George and I we go walking,
      Bright sun on the water,insects on the wing.
      As I cast my line out
      To a basking brown trout,
      A heron looks on in disdain,...
      As I hopefully cast out again.

                        But it's a dream for the river is gone
                        From Walkern to Aston we can't hear its song
                        And at White Hall we cry for they're pumping it dry
                        Yes, they're draining the old River Beane.

      On the banks of The Beane George and I we go walking
      Past broken old willows collapsed in despair
      No swallows swoop low
      As George runs to and fro
      No pheasant or partridge to scare
      For the wild life it just isn't there

                        But we still dream though the river is gone
                        From White Hall to Watton we can't hear its song
                        Then at Hertford we see where it joins with The Lee
                        All that's left of the old River Beane.

      And the best we can tell
      OFWAT say go to hell
      Because it's cheap you can weep for your dream
      Say farewell to the old River Beane

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Words and melody copyright © 2012 Blue Harbour


About Blue Harbour

Jim Coombes and Phil Hewett play together as 'Blue Harbour'. After a walk along the dried up river bed Jim suggested they write a song about it. 'The Banks of the Beane' is the result.

'The Banks of The Beane' is being used on a film which is currently being made about the river Beane by The University of Hertfordshire. There will be a link to it from this site when it is completed.

About this Song

'The Banks of The Beane' is a protest song.

The Beane is a chalk river the course of which passes close to where Phil lives, and he acts as a volunteer warden for a stretch where he regularly walks his dog. However, this stretch, together with most of the upper Beane is now dry because too much water is pumped from the natural underground reservoir which feeds it. The water is supplied to Stevenage and the surrounding area. There are alternatives, but The Beane is the cheapest source.

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is campaigning to have The Beane, and other rivers like it, restored. They say that chalk rivers like The Beane are small in number and provide a habitat which is so unique that they are of international importance. They liken their destruction to the destruction of the rain forest, yet OFWAT have so far blocked any plans to reduce water usage.