Yes, Gail, incomprehensible to me as well, but the link below may shed some light. The song seems to be modern, but perhaps the 'Congleton bear, Congleton bear' bit is one of those insulting rhymes reflecting inter-village or inter-town rivalry. Congleton is in Cheshire and there is an 18th century church as well as two 19th century ones. I wonder if Congleton knows it has lodged itself in at least one American memory?
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/paul.thorp/lyrcongl.htm