Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

Prince O'er The Water

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

PRINCE O'ER THE WATER (S4x32) 4C set Rosemary Mitchell Thistle Dubh 2

1- 8 All advance and retire and turn partner RH
9-16 All dance 4 couple Allemande. (4321)
17-24 4s+3s also 2s+1s dance double Fig of 8 (4s and 1s casting down/up to start)
25-32 All dance ½ reel of 4 on sides (4s and 2s in and down to start), 1s lead down to 4th place as others step up on last 2 bars

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


Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams


Dance Information

The term "Prince o'er the Water" historically refers to a claimant to the British throne who resides abroad.

This phrase gained prominence during the Jacobite uprisings in the 17th and 18th centuries when supporters of the exiled Stuart monarchs used it to refer to the heir apparent living outside the British Isles.

Notable figures associated with this title include James Francis Edward Stuart, known as the "Old Pretender", and his son Charles Edward Stuart, often referred to as "Bonnie Prince Charlie." These claimants sought to restore the Stuart line to the throne after the Glorious Revolution of 1688. The term "Prince o'er the Water" reflects the exiled status of the Stuart claimants who aspired to reclaim the British crown from foreign territories. Despite attempts, the Stuart restoration efforts were unsuccessful, and the Hanoverian succession solidified in the 18th century.



Additional search terms: Over.

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