Pendle Forest Folk

By Jean Walton

Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Read Books Ltd.
• Release date: Sep 6, 2016
• ISBN: 9781473353183

Jean Walton

Jean Walton: founder of Everyday Girl Adventures and MissFit Networking Group. Everyday girl. Optimistic realist. Adventure enthusiast. Self-proclaimed superhero. When Jean found herself starting over in life, divorced after a 17-year marriage, with 3 grown kids and a day job that lost its luster, she knew she needed something more. She has always looked for adventure in the smallest moments but realized that the true joy came from sharing those experiences with people around her. Everyday Girl Adventures was born from just that. Jean's brand seeks and organizes fun and unique opportunities to bring people together and create lasting memories. Her goal is to help others recognize the joy of a moment and inspire them to find the adventure in their everyday. Jean also understands the value of women supporting women. As a misfit in the business world, she wanted to create a place where entrepreneurs of all backgrounds could feel empowered coming together, no matter the stage of their business. MissFit Networking Group is a place for just that-it's where every "miss" fits. Jean's flair for adventure and passion for life are no secret to those who meet her. So how does she find adventure in her every day? The answer is simple: she says yes to every opportunity. She would rather take a risk than always wonder what could have been. You only live once-and ultimately, it's the memories, no matter how big or small, that make it all worth living.

Book preview

distance.

CHAPTER 2.

THE CHURCH.

The church is the dominant feature of the village and is rightly named the Cathedral of the Forest. From the 15th century onward, the church has played an important part in the spiritual, in the governing, and in the social life of the village.

History records that there was a chapel at Newchurch in the early 14th century and the curate-in-charge was sent from Lancaster. At that time the chapel was called New Cross. The stipend of the curate-in-charge was thirty nine pounds per year, upon which stipend he would be thought passing rich.

Evidence that the church belonged to the diocese of Lancaster is depicted by the large, but not very beautiful, painting of the Arms of Lancaster which stills hangs on the church wall between the pulpit and the altar.

Until the early 18th century the church was not licensed for marriages, so parties wishing to be joined together in wedlock had to travel to Clitheroe. A well-known farmer and his bride-to-be walked from Old Laund Wheatley over to Clitheroe to be wed as they, for one reason or another, wished to keep their marriage a secret. After the marriage, the newly-wedded pair ate their wedding breakfast in the castle grounds. They had brought their own victuals with them tied up in a red handkerchief. Oh, happy pair! for they could say with Omar Khayyam. A crust of bread and thou besides me in the wilderness, and wilderness were paradise enow.

At one time part of the parson’s stipend came from the rents of the Glebelands; but, after the first world war, these lands were sold and the money invested to increase the parson’s living.

My grandfather, Henry Bailey of Wheatley, was a stonemason and he helped in the re-building and restoration of the church at Kirk in 1852. Ale and other drinkings were provided for the workmen; it must be remembered that ale was a common drink in those days, even given to children. Tea and coffee were regarded as luxuries, only to be drunk by the better end.

What is known as the School House has in its time served as a school and later as a residence for the school-master. The room below the school house, with the door opening directly onto the churchyard, is known to this day as the Bone House; this from the fact that long ago it was used to deposit bones from the burial ground when the same ground after many years was used for re-burial.

As children, we considered a funeral at Kirk was a great occasion. The grave-digger was our friend and we were interested in the vault or grave being prepared. The church bell would be tolled upon the first sight of the funeral coaches turning the corner at the top of Nanny Maude. This is known as the passing bell. During the war this practice was discontinued. We gazed with awe at the whole procession, the beautiful black Belgian horses with black plumes on their harness, the coachmen with black shiny top hats and red noses, and the solemn procession of mourners. The coachmen were good customers at The Lamb Inn and The Friendly. Sometimes as a great treat we children were allowed to climb up and sit on the coachmen’s seat whilst the men enjoyed a pint waiting for the mourners to return. Sometimes, refreshments would be provided at one or other of the Inns for the mourners. The traditional fare was roast beef, ham, and tongue. Hence, the saying in the village, ’Aye! they buried him with ham.

The Arval Cake or funeral biscuit is, I think, peculiar to Lancashire. The custom was to give each mourner, as he or she arrived, a glass of wine and a small sponge cake known as the Arval Cake. After the funeral service, if any of the cakes were left over, they were distributed to the mourners to take away. Ruper Brook, the poet, mentions Arval Bread in his poem; here I quote:—

I shall not hear your trentals,

Nor eat your arval bread.

With ham and sherry

They’ll meet to bury,

The lordiest lass on earth!

My notes on funerals at Kirk cannot end without a story. One of the old village worthies had died, and, at his funeral, his colleagues acted as bearers. It was a very hot day and the coffin seemed very heavy. As they reached the graveside, they put the heavy burden on the ground with obvious relief. The vicar noticed that the coffin was the wrong way around, so he whispered to the bearer nearest to him, Reverse the corpse, please. The man looked rather vacant, so the vicar repeated the request. Then light began to dawn on the man’s face and in a loud whisper to his colleagues said Slew owd lad round wi’ his feet toward Roughlee.

Weddings, too, were a great social occasion in the village, for whether the parties were known to us or not, all the village turned out.

A feature of a wedding at Kirk, now dying out, was for the menfolk to tie the churchyard gate so the bridegroom must perforce pay his first footing. The menfolk would get the price of a drink and a handful of coppers would be thrown over the gate for the children. The gates were then untied and the happy pair would proceed on their way drenched with rice and confetti.

CHAPTER 3.

THE PARSON.

Newchurch can rightly be called the capital of the Forest for here is the Cathedral. Barley, Roughlee, Sabden Fold, all villages within the Forest of Pendle, the church mothers them all. Each village had its representative in electing a Church Warden. The church warden’s pew, as you enter the church, clearly shows that each village, or booth, had its representative in the church, hence Goldshaw Booth, Roughlee Booth, Barley with Old Laund Wheatley. These name places are almost forgotten now and any youngster reading Harrison Ainsworth’s Pendle Forest Witches will have to ask his dad Where is Goldshaw Booth?

A village that possesses no church and no parson