The Lyricals of Lady's Combe

The Lyricals** of Lady’s Combe 

A dramatisation of recollections of Ralph Hoyte's tale to us poets of when he was visited by the lady of the well, in Lady Combe, near Dowsborough on the Quantocks; the reason for us all being in this room now, here together at Words in Watchet as The Quantock Poets.

Written in the poetic style of 'Christabel Released' - in tribute to Ralph for his support on our group's poetic journey.

Voice 1 (Angela, narrator and Voice 3 - the Lady)

Here we find the poet walking

Retracing steps his fellows talking

Descending through these green surrounds

Whortleberries, blush-blue the grounds.

‘tween sessile oaks the snakes do writhe

Bearing witness sleek and lithe

His mind it wanders as mists hang low

Dewy, wet, scene set? We go…

Further, deeper to the well

Hark what’s that? Ssh time will tell…

Voice 2 (Ralph)

Here I find the lady whispering

Mists do hide her sultry glistening

A slant of light through trickling glade

Finds my face awash with shade

(3) “Find me”* (2) “Who’s there! Be still, pray tell

Is this the voice of Lady Well?”

She comes with grace but I feel chills

Such combe-wombs* deep within these hills 

She binds me in earthly embrace

Quickens my heartbeat, starts the chase.

Voice 1 (Angela, narrator, and Voice 3, the Lady)

(3) “Find me”* (1) A few steps further in

The veil betwixt the realms so thin

Prickles the air and puncture wounds

This poet-knight and down he swoons 

Onto his knees he breathes (2) “be gone!”

(2) “My God! Damn you, cre-a-tion!”

(3) “Sssss, Sssss”, (1) he ups alights

The demoness pursues and frights

(3) “You will complete his Christabel!”

He feels the weight descend and yells:

(2) “Release me and I will obey,

Dear Lady of the Well, convey -

My words will tell of all who lay

Beneath these trees in disarray!”

Voice 2 continues…(Ralph)

She vanished, curse unto me brought

The sun pierced through and chosen fraught 

I sat and cupped the Lady's stream

Splashed my face to quench the dream

I was transfixed I had to write

For Coleridge and gift forth his light.

Voice 1 (Angela, narrator)

And so he gave with all his might

His words did our dear poet-knight,

And then in future’s chance reprise

Did he then fuel these poets’ eyes

To see the Combes as he then saw

The Quantocks, oh so damp and raw:

‘tween sessile oaks the snakes again do writhe

Bearing witness sleek and lithe

His mind it wanders as mists hang low

Dewy, wet, scene set? We go…

Further, deeper to the well

Hark what’s that? Ssh time will tell…

A Wensley

13.02.2026

*Interwoven with references to Angela's ‘Mother Earth: Sisters of the Sacred Soil’ poem from the poetry trail in this location to layer the experience with the app experience - only those who walk the trail will find this 'bonus layer' in the meaning of the poem. 

** 

A reference to Lyrical Ballads, two poets = two Lyricals.

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Performed at Words in Watchet Literary Festival 21 February 2026: