Nottamun Town, also known under other titles such as "Nottingham Fair" and "Fair Nottamon Town" (Roud # 1044) is an American folk song. Although sometimes suggested to be an English song of medieval origin brought to North America during the early colonial era and preserved in oral tradition, and still described as such in some popular works, it is more likely derived from popular 18th and 19th century printed broadsides, with the most likely immediate precursor being the 19th century "Paddy's Ramble to London". The British musicologist Cecil Sharp collected the best-known version of the song in 1917 in the area of the Eastern Kentucky Coalfield. Josiah Combs had previously collected it in the same area, and other versions were found later in the century by Creighton in Nova Scotia, by Randolph in Missouri, and even in New Jersey. However, very closely related songs, such as the stage comedy song "The Old Grey Mare", were in fact well-known in print form in America during the 19th century. Lyrics Nearly all modern versions of the song are based on the version recorded in the 1950s by Jean Ritchie, the text of which was originally collected by Sharp in 1917 from the singing of Ritchie's older sister Una. Modern versions often include lyrics (such as the phrase "mule roany mare" and the first two lines of the fifth verse) first introduced, and later copyrighted, by Jean Ritchie herself: In fair Nottamun Town, not a soul would look up Not a soul would look up, not a soul would look down Not a soul would look up, not a soul would look down To show me the way to fair Nottamun Town I rode a grey horse, a mule roany mare Grey mane and grey tail, green striped on his back Grey mane and grey tail, green striped on his back There weren't a hair on her but what was coal black She stood so still, She threw me to the dirt She tore-a my hide, and she bruised my shirt From saddle to stirrup I mounted again And on my ten toes I rode over the plain Met the King and the Queen and the company more Came a riding behind and a walking before Come a stark naked drummer, a-beating a drum With his heels in his bosom come marching along They laughed and they smiled, not a soul did look