Black Stitchel is the popular name of a conical hill,[1] located in the parish ofHepple,Northumberland, in the region known as Bishop's Waltham Moors.[2][3]
The hill inspired a poem byWilfrid Wilson Gibson, published in his 1918 collection,Whin. It was set to music in 1920 by Gibson's friendIvor Gurney and has become part of the baritone's concert repertoire[4]The Listener said that, in this song, "Wilfrid Gibson's lines are given an exact counterpart of freedom and intimacy".[5] It was one of several of Gibson's poems set by Gurney. The song has been recorded byRoderick Williams, Michael George and others.[6] Another setting was composed byJohn Jeffreys for tenor and has been recorded byIan Bostridge.