Monument

My grandfather (the chemist grandfather, not the engineer) used to sing a song I've never heard of anywhere else. The melody is reminiscent of change-ringing. (I could record myself singing the whole thing if you want to hear it.)

Glossary:
Michaelmas is today, 29th September.
A crown is a coin traditionally worth a quarter of a pound (these days usually worth five pounds).
Hatfield is the name of several towns, notably one in Hertfordshire and one in Yorkshire; I don't know which is meant. The Hertfordshire version has a fine ring of bells, which I've rung, but no fair I'm aware of. The Yorkshire one had bells, but they are now unringable. If the song is about that Hatfield, presumably they weren't unringable when the song was written.

A year ago last Michaelmas I went to Hatfield fair
And there I met a pretty lass with a love-knot in her hair
With a love-knot in her hair.
How I loved her, and she loves me,
Come next Michaelmas we'll married be,
Come next Michaelmas we'll married be,
With the Hatfield bells a-ringing.
Ding dong, ding dong, love's the burden of my song,
Life is short, but love is long
And the Hatfield bells, the Hatfield bells are ringing.

Now all the year since Michaelmas I've toiled both night and day
And now I have a bag of crowns all safely stored away,
Yes, all safely stored away.
How I loved her, and she loves me,
Come next Michaelmas we'll married be,
Come next Michaelmas we'll married be,
With the Hatfield bells a-ringing.
Ding dong, ding dong, love's the burden of my song,
Life is short, but love is long
And the Hatfield bells, the Hatfield bells are ringing.

Update: hairyhatfield off Twitter has found sheet music for what is likely to be the same song. I will record it for you all later.