Hedge Lane is found, like the Opera, in the book “A New Academy of Compliments Or, The Lover’s Secretary”, printed in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1795. That appears to be the only published version of the dance printed in the early United States. There are a few different sets of dance steps to the tune Hedge Lane found in earlier published dancing manuals in English published in London – both in John Playford’s Dancing Master, as far back as 1679 (version 1) and as late as 1721 and 1728 (version 2) and a very similar version (much like version 1 from Playford) in various John Walsh manuals of The Compleat Country Dancing Master, from 1718 to 1760.

Here are the descriptions from H. Playford and Samuel Sprint, Dancing-Master:,The. or, Directions for dancing Country Dances with the Figure and Tunes to each Dance for the Treble-Violin. The Tenth Edition, with Addition of several new Dances, and tunes of Dances, never before printed. 1698:

Honour to the Presence, then to your we. Lead up forward and back, that again

The two first cu. fall back, then the 1. cu. cast off round into the middle while the 2. cu. leads up through the middle and/comes to the out-side, then all four being abreast lead down and back again, then the 2. cu. lead down between the 1. cu./and cast off into their places, then both men cross over into the we. places, and the we. into the men’s. This over again.

First man turn right hand with the 2. wo. once round, then 2. man turn left with the 1. wo. once round.

First cu. turn both hands once round, and so down into the 2. cu. place, while the 2. cu. cast up into the 1. cu. place.

Here are the dance descriptions from W. Pearson, Edward Midwinter, John Young ,Dancing-Master, or, Directions for Dancing Country-Dances, with the Tunes to each Dance, for the Treble-Violin. The Eighteenth Edition, 1725:

The first and 2. cu. Hands all four round, and the 1. cu. cast off. Then the 2. cu. Hands round/and cast off. Then the 1. and 2. Man lead through between the 2 We. and turn, and the We./lead thro’ between the Men and turn, then the 1. Man turn the 2. Wo. with his Right-hand, and/the 1. Wo. do the Same, then the 1. cu. clap and cast off.

Here are the descriptions from Walsh in the fourth edition, 1760:

Honour to the Presence, then to your own. lead up forward and back, that again.

The two first Cu. fall back, then the 1st Cu. cast off round into the Middle, while/the 2d Cu. leads up thro’ the Middle and Comes to the Outside, then all four being a-/breast lead down and back again; then the 2d Cu. lead down between the 1st Cu. and/cast off into their Places then both Men cross over into the We. Places and /the We. into the Mens. This over again.

First man turn right Hands with the 2d. Wo. once round, the 2d Man turn left/with the 1st Wo. once round.

First Cu. turn both Hands once round, and so down into the 2d. Cu. Place, while/the 2d. Cu. cast up into the 1st Cu. Place.

Here are the instructions from New Academy of Compliments from 1795 in Worcester:

First and second couple set, first couple lead/down, the second couple cast up, go all four/abreast, the second man leads the first man round/him, and the second woman the same to the first,/both at one time: So the first man turn right hand/with the second woman, and the second man the same with the first woman, the first couple take/hands, and turn round between the second couple,/the second couple at the same time casting up.

Here is the way that the Wayside Inn Steppers dance Hedge Lane:

Hedge Lane (Duple Minor Longways)

• • A1 All double set to partner (forward, back, right, left)
    First couple leads into middle of set and then lead down while second couple casts up to ends of line of four (actives in the middle) 
    (First couples turn single down once and a quarter to end facing down the set, while the second couples cast up to end at the ends of the line)
  • A2 Lead down four in line, forward one pas de bouree and then back the same amount
    Second couple hand cast first couple around so all face partner in original positions
  • B1 First corners (first gent, second lady) two hand turn once around back to original places
    Second corners (first lady, second gent) two hand turn once around back to original places
  • B2 First couple two hand turn twice around moving down the set while second couple casts up

Footwork: We use pas de bourrees for this dance

Here is the sheet music:

Here is the tune for you to listen to: