For Those at a Loss, Here’s the True Meaning Behind “Ride a C*ck Horse to Banbury Cross”

Updated:

February 5, 2024 5:56 pm

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Some nursery rhymes come from proverbs, riddles, or even drinking songs. Typically intended for children, some have pretty dark origins. Nursery rhymes also tend to evolve over the years. Different versions were published as they were handed down through generations. Let’s take a look behind the meaning of “Ride a C*ck Horse to Banbury Cross.”

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Modern Lyrics

Ride a c*ck-horse to Banbury Cross,

To see a fine lady upon a white horse

Rings on her fingers and bells on her toes,

And she shall have music wherever she goes

Banbury

One of the most famous towns in England (because of this nursery rhyme), Banbury is a market town in Oxfordshire on the River Cherwell. It is a retail center for the nearby rural parts of Warwickshire and Northamptonshire.

Alternative Version

Ride a c*ck-horse to Banbury Cross,

To buy little Johnny, a galloping horse

It trots behind, and it ambles before,

And Johnny shall ride till he can ride no more

What Is a C*ck Horse?

A rocking horse or hobbyhorse, but sometimes just an adult’s knee. The term is sometimes applied to a high-spirited or uncastrated horse. In 1725, ‘Now on C*ck-horse does he ride’ appeared in Namby-Pamby by Henry Carey. In 1744, a different version was published in Tommy Thumb’s Pretty Song Book.

Ride a c*ck-horse

To Banbury Cross,

To see what Tommy can buy

A penny white loaf,

A penny white cake,

And a two-penny apple pie

In 1784, another version was printed in The Nursery Parnassus. In 1790, a variation appeared in Tom Tit’s Song Book.

A ring on her finger,

A bonnet of straw,

The strangest old woman

That ever you saw

Back to the 15th Century

The reference to bells on her toes has been linked to the fashion of adding bells to the end of shoes in the 15th century. The main Banbury Cross was taken down around 1600, but the name may have remained. It is also possible the “Banbury Cross” refers to a crossroads consisting of the junction of the Salt Way and Banbury Lane, part of the Jurassic Way. The Cross, now standing in the center of town, was built in 1859 to commemorate the marriage of Queen Victoria’s daughter to Prince Frederick of Prussia.

Local legend suggests the “fine lady” was a member of the Fiennes family, the ancestors of Lord Saye and Sele of the nearby Broughton Castle. Celia Fiennes published a journal accounting her journeys, in which she rode side-saddle through every county in England. Queen Elizabeth I and Lady Godiva have also been suggested.