Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

Cork Hornpipe

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

CORK HORNPIPE (R8x32) 2C (4C set) John W Mitchell Whetherly Book 2

1- 8 2s followed by 1s lead down; 1s followed by 2s lead up, remaining in middle 2H joined ready for...
9-16 1s+2s dance 6 bars of Poussette, Bar 14: 2s+1s ¼ turn 2H into line up/down middle then turn partner RH once round. 2 1 with Ladies facing down, Men up
17-24 2s+1s dance reel of 4 up/down centre ending in centre facing own side, all joining nearer hands
25-32 2s+1s Balance-in-Line and ½ turn partner RH; 2s+1s Balance-in-Line and turn ¾ RH to own sides

(MINICRIB. Dance crib compiled by Charles Upton, Deeside Caledonian Society, and his successors)


Cork Hornpipe A thirty-two bar Hornpipe for two couples in a four couple longwise set. Devised by John W Mitchell. Published in Whetherly Book 2.

1- 8 First and second couples lead down the middle for four bars, second couple leading; they lead up to place, first couple leading, and finish in the centre of the set facing own partner with both hands joined.
9-14 First and second couples dance the first six bars of a "Border style" poussette, (i.e. on bar 14 they only make a quarter turn to finish facing up and down the set).
15-16 First and second couples turn partner once round with the right hand.
17-24 First and second couples dance a reel of four up and down the set; pass partner by the right shoulder to start; finish all facing own side of the set with nearer hands joined.
25-26 All balance in line.
27-25 All turn partner half way with the right hand.
29-30 All balance in line.
31-32 All turn partner three quarters with the right hand to finish on own side of the set.

Repeat from second place.

(Dance crib reproduced from The Whetherly Book of Scottish Country Dances, revised and republished by Alison Mitchell)


Keith Rose's Crib Diagram


Dance Instruction Videos

Cork Hornpipe - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction Video

Dance Information

Editor's note to the 2020 edition: The original version contained three diagrams for bars 1, 25 and 32 which are not included here.

The "Border style" poussette seems to refer to "A Complete Guide to Scottish Country Dancing" by Allie Anderson and John Duthie (McDougall's Educational Co. Ltd), where it is called "Poussette Second Form" (pages 30-31). In contrast to the standard form, in this poussette the men begin with the right foot. Apparently, at the time of writing (circa 1960), this method of dancing the poussette was danced in the South-East Borders Counties.

Recommended tune: Cork Hornpipe.

(Dance information reproduced from The Whetherly Book Of Scottish Country Dances, revised and republished by Alison Mitchell)


Published in The Whetherly Book Of Scottish Country Dances Number 2, by John W Mitchell, revised and republished by Alison Mitchell; instructions reproduced under the Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence (CC BY-ND 4.0).

Back to the top of this Scottish Country Dancing Instructions 'Cork Hornpipe' page