The first recorded reference to musicians in Rossendale appears in a memorandum book kept by Sir Ralph Assheton, a hospitable Lancashire Baronet of the seventeenth century. The following entry appears under the year 1676:

Xtmas., given the Rossendale players 10/-.

The inhabitants of the Dean Valley had long been celebrated as musicians, both vocal and instrumental. It is from this that the name of Deyghn Layrocks or Larks of Dean (Layrock: Lark) came. Many were in the habit of meeting in each others’ houses by turns, and practising together. They were particularly fond of Handel’s music and also composed many tunes themselves. These included settings of the psalms and hymns as well as some secular pieces. The compositions of these rustic musicians was of surprisingly high quality.

At these meetings each paid a subscription of twopence. For this they received bread and cheese, and ale brewed at home specially for the occasion. Most were poor farmers and weavers who could not afford to buy copies of the music they played. Paper in those days was taxed and expensive. So they had to copy out their part from borrowed scores, ruling the lines by hand. They copied the notation boldly, so that they could read it from a distance of several yards.

Winters were dark and the meetings with singing and playing had to be held by the light of home made candles. The rooms in which these musical gatherings were held were often cramped too, since space was occupied by the weavers’ handlooms. One account of such a meeting describes the musicians as being arranged according to height around a scrubbed deal table. There was one copy of the handwritten musical score on the table in front of them. 

The Larks used to meet at each other’s houses after Sunday service at the chapel. Their music making would continue enthusiastically far into the small hours of the Monday morning. On waking, after a quick breakfast, the next day was spent in a similar manner.  Often the Tuesday also was devoted to music. In consequence, during the remaining days of the week, they had to work extra hard to complete their work and earn their wages.

John Nuttall, born in 1715, was the founder of the Deighn Layrocks. As a young hand weaver, he would meet with his friend Richard Hudson of Heights Farm, Love Clough and other like minded local people in scattered farm houses and other dwellings in the small hamlets of Lumb and Dean to practice their music.They particularly liked religious music especially psalms and the oratorios of Handel. They regarded music as a divine gift to be cultivated and used for the enjoyment of man and the glory of God, and gathered about them especially all who had voices or would learn to play “big or little fiddles, clarinets, etc.”

Only two pieces composed by John Nuttall are recorded: “Old Oxford” (a setting of Psalm 98), and ”Lumb Tune”. Richard Hudson and John Nuttall often went into Yorkshire on a singing and preaching tour, meeting with much abuse. On one occasion Hudson spied one of these ruffians and, leaning down from his horse, said: “I usee that the Devil hasn’t got thee yet”. In the year 1771, when the Forest of Rossendale was required to contribute £230 4s.6d. towards “an aid to His Majesty George III by a Land Tax,” Richard Hudson’s share was 6s 0d., a substantial sum in those days. He died on April 7th, 1776, after an accident in 1775, aged 61 years. His gravestone lies in front of the Baptist Chapel at Goodshaw.

John Nuttall, later the Reverend John Nuttall, and Richard Hudson both had musical sons who were renowned composers. Each family had its own admirers. Reuben Hudson of Heights Farm, near Love Clough, son of Richard, and known locally as “The Little Lawyer,” because he had drawn up so many wills for other people, also taught singing classes throughout the county. At one time he was leading singer at the Strict and Particular Baptist Chapel in Crawshawbooth. Born in 1745, Reuben died in 1806, aged 61 years.

His son John known as “Jack o’Reuben’s” was also a composer and renowned singer who used to “bring down the house” with his bass solo.

John Lord, another Deighn Layrocks musician, was for many years during the 18th century the principal schoolmaster at Bacup. He was a man of sterling character, genial, kind-hearted, ready-witted and merry. One of the tunes he composed is entitled “Rawtenstall

Haymakers”. It was revised by Henry Nuttall, and played frequently by the Deighn Layrocks. John Lord died in 1797.He would often sit on a raised platform at the head of his school, and talk about music and his ‘cello, while his young pupils stood round and sang or chanted the arithmetical and other tables he had woven into rhyme for their proflt and pleasure.

In one piece he gives a whimsical enumeration of all the notable days in the year. Beginning with Christmas, he carries on through Candlemas to Shrovetide, seven weeks before Easter, when Pancakes are in their prime and when fig pies come thick and fast, mid-Lent with its Simnel cake and on to 25th of October, then the date of Bacup Fair.

John Whittles, of Whitelee House, Cliviger, was also a composer of tunes, two occurring in the Music Book of James Greenwood, of Windy Bank, dated March 23, 1835, and another dated 1838. A note in the latter says “Jonathan Greenwood, you must attend to the singing meetings every Monday at 5 o’clock.”

Henry Whittles,’oHarry o’Jack’s”, inherited his father’s love of music. He once walked all the way to Manchester just to look at a copy of Handel’s Samson. Henry Whittles was one of fourteen members who, in 1828, got their dismissal from Goodshaw Chapel, meeting in various rooms until they could get a chapel at Lumb. Many, afterwards, still kept going “ower t’hill to t’Goodsha’ and back agean”. And when one of them died, they were carried back to the old place. The last of these, Henry Whittles, was carried to Goodshaw shoulder height, by his request, in 1886.

The Rev. John Nuttall, the founder of the Deighn Layrocks, left two sons, James and Henry. Both were accomplished composers. James, the elder, born in 1745, composed the favourite tunes “Larks”, “Spanking Roger”, ” Bocking Warp”, and “Friendship”.The titles are in keeping with Rossendalians of two centuries ago, but may need some explanation today. “Spanking” means free and lively and “Spanking Roger” was probably named after the notorious affairs of Roger Aytoun. “Bocking Warp” refers to old Bocking Shuttles that required two people, one on each side, to propel the heavy shuttles backward and forward until John Lord of Bacup applied wheels to the shuttle, which allowed one person to perform the work with ease.

James Nuttall also composed an anthem adapted to the words “Salvation, O the joyful sound,” by Isaac Watts. This hymn was a geat favourite with the Layrocks. James Nuttall’s setting lasted half an hour with solo, duet, fugue and chorus passages. James died in April 1806, aged 61 years.

Henry Nuttall (born 1747) younger son of the Rev. John Nuttall composed many tunes, his most notable being “Skylark”, “Yarmouth”, and “Feeble Man”. On one occasion, Handel’s “Judas Maccabeus” was being performed at St. Peter’s Church Burnley, and Henry was very anxious to hear it. He arrived late, however, when the first chorus *Mourn ye affiicted children,” had just been sung. It is said that the old man was so disappointed that he sat down and cried.

Henry Nuttall was killed when a warehouse in Bacup collapsed on February 5th, 1810. The building was two stories high, and the top one, being overcrowded, gave way. Henry and his daughter Sally, aged 17, were in the bottom room. Both were killed in the accident. He was 63.

James Nuttall had three sons: John, James and Richard, known as “John’ o’ James’s” “Jimmy o’ James’s” and o”Dick o’ James’s o’ th’ Parson’s.” As well as composing, John, born 1781, was a good ‘cello player. He was often seen on Sundays in Lumb Chapel, sitting on the pew back, wearing a black skull cap.

John Nuttall died in 1856. James and Richard, his brothers, both composed several tunes, and were violin players, but no record can be found of any named pieces by Richard. James, described as “James Nuttall junior, fiddle maker,” is credited with having composed a piece with the foreboding title “Grim Death”.

As the nineteenth century progressed, music as played by the Larks of Dean fell out of fashion. Church organs began to take the place of the old instruments. The Deighn Layrocks were to continue until about 1860.