What happened on the green mossy banks of the Lea?

Adele isn't the first singer to namecheck the Lea (Lee) in song. This folk song probably originated in the 1820s and has been recorded by many artists including Vin Garbutt and Jason Molina.

In this version of the tale, our fair Matilda is courted by a gay Irish stranger although other versions have the suitor as a wealthy American from Philadelphia. Either way she gets a nice castle out of itHere's a recording of the song by Nic Jones who sings the "American" version