Ride a Cock-Horse to Banbury Cross Lyrics
Banbury is a real market town in Oxfordshire, England, and this knee-bouncing rhyme has made it famous for more than two centuries. Today there is even a bronze statue of the lady with rings on her fingers.
Ride a Cock-Horse to Banbury Cross
Ride a cock-horse to Banbury Cross,
To see an old lady upon a white horse.
Rings on her fingers, and bells on her toes,
She shall have music wherever she goes.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/ride-a-cock-horse-to-banbury-cross/
- Type
- Action Songs, Mother Goose
- First published
- Late 1700s
- Tune
- Traditional
- Best for ages
- 0 to 4 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Ride a cock-horse to Banbury Cross | Sit your child on your knees facing you and bounce gently, like riding a horse. |
| To see an old lady upon a white horse | Bounce a little higher. |
| Rings on her fingers, and bells on her toes | Wiggle your child's fingers, then their toes. |
| She shall have music wherever she goes | Finish with a gentle "whoa" and a lift or cuddle. |
What Does Ride a Cock-Horse to Banbury Cross Mean?
A "cock-horse" is a toy hobby horse, or a child riding on an adult's knee, so the rhyme is really a pretend trip to town. The rider goes to see a grand lady on a white horse, with rings and bells that make music as she moves.
History and Origin
Banbury Cross stood in the town center until it was pulled down around 1600. A new cross was built in 1859, and in 2005 a bronze statue of the "Fine Lady" on her horse was unveiled next to it. People have long guessed who the lady was, but no one knows for sure.
Learning Activities
- Knee ride: bounce slowly for the first line and faster as the rhyme goes on.
- Bells on toes: tie a small bell to a sock (with supervision) and let your baby kick to make music.
- Map it: find Banbury on a map of England with older children.