CURIOUS CHURCH GLEANINGS. 6g Wiffiam C&nbretts, Mr. Andrews' books are always interesting. Church Bells. Mr. Andrews' works are a rich mine of curious displayed " learning, in an attractive form. Echoes the H\-ck," by Mr. G. A. Sa/a. of r I think your labours, -writes the Right Hon. ll' . E. Gladstone to Mr. Andrews, of real interest and value in their illustration of Old English Life. Curiosities of the Church. We feel sure that many will feel grateful to Mr. Andrews for having produced such an interesting book. The Antiquary. A volume of great research and striking interest. The Bookbuyer (New York). Contains in a popular and readable form, much that is curious and instructive. Manchester Gua rdian. An interesting, handsomely got up volume. Mr. Andrews is always chatty and expert in making a paper on a dry subject exceedingly readable. Newcastle Courant. An admirable book. Sheffield Independent, Old Church Lore. Mr. Andrews' book does not contain a dull page. Deserves to meet with a very warm welcome. Yorkshire Post. A worthy book on a deeply interesting subject. We commend this book strongly. European Mail. An interesting volume. The Scotsman. The book is eminently readable, and may be taken up at any moment with the certainty that something suggestive or entertaining will present itself. Glasgow Citizen. Curious Church Customs. A thoroughly excellent volume. Publishers' Circulat. We are indebted to Mr. Andrews for an invaluable addition to our of library folk-lore, and we do not think that many who take it up will skip a single page. Dundee Advertiser. Very interesting. To-Day. Mr. Andrews is too practised an historian not to have made the most of his subject. Review of Reviews. A handsomely got up and interesting volume. The Fiteside. Bygone England. A very readable and instructive volume. The Globe. are the Many subjects of interest introduced in this chatty volume. Saturday Review. A delightful volume for all who love to dive into the origin of social habits and and to customs, penetrate into the byways of history. Liverpool Daily Post. There is a mass of information in large this capital volume, and it is so that pleasantly put many will be tempted to study it. Mr. Andrews has done his work with great skill. London Quarterly Review. 'A is the delightful book,' verdict that the reader will give after a of its Mr. perusal pages. Andrews has presented to us in very pleasing form some phases of the social life of England in the olden time Publishers Circulat . of the Some chapters are very interesting, and are most useful for those who desire to the know origin and history of some of our daily practices and amusements. The World. BTHELMARUS, BISHOP OF WINCHESTER, I26l. EDITED BY WILLIAM ANDREWS, F.R.H.S., AUTHOR OF "CURIOSITIES OF THE CHURCH," " OLD CHURCH LORE," " BYGONE ENGLAND," ETC. HULL: WILLIAM ANDREWS & CO., THE HULL PRESS. LONDON : SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON, KENT & CO., LTD. i 896. preface. ^ I H E welcome given by the public and the -*- press to my previous volume issued under " the title of Curious Church Customs," has en- couraged me to prepare on similar lines another collection of papers dealing with the byways and highways of Church history. My contributors have done their best to furnish articles of interest, and I think their work is of permanent value. I should be ungrateful if I did not express my gratitude for their assistance. I send forth this book hoping that it may not fail to prove entertaining, and throw some light on matters of interest to lovers of our National Church. WILLIAM ANDREWS. THE HULL PRESS, St. Nicholas' Day, 1895. 2068523 Content*. PACK WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN AN OLD CHURCH. By George Benson i EARLY CHURCH DEDICATIONS. By J. A. Sparvel-Bayly, B.A. 14 THE CHURCH PORCH. By William E. A. Axon, F.R.S.L. 29 THE .LIGHTS OF A MEDIEVAL CHURCH. By the Rev. J. Charles Cox, LL.D., F.S.A 36 CONCERNING CROSSES. By Florence Peacock .... 65 MISERICORUES. By T. Tindall Wiidridge ..... 92 CHURCH GILDS. By the Rev. J. Malet Lambert, M.A., LL.D. no PEWS OF THE PAST. By J. A. Sparvel-Bayly, B.A. 138 the THE BISHOP'S THRONE. By Rev. Geo. S. Tyack, B.A. 163 CHANTRIES. By John T. Page ....... 170 HAGIOSCOPES. By John T. Page 178 the SOME ENGLISH SHRINES. By Rev. Geo. S. Tyack, B.A. 181 THE CHURCH AND WELL OF ST. CHAD. By J. A. Langford, LL.D. .......... 193 IN William BURIALS WOOLLEN. By Andrews, F.R.H.S. 201 HEARSE: How A WORD HAS CHANGED ITS MEANING. By Edward Peacock, F.S.A. ...... 209 HEART BURIALS OF ENGLISH PERSONS. By Emily Sophia Hartshorne ......... 224 BOY-BISHOPS. By England Hewlett ...... 241 GLEANINGS FROM A PARISH CHEST. By Rev. J. Charles Cox, LL.D. F.S.A. ......... 251 INDEX ........... 277 CURIOUS CHURCH GLEANINGS. Wbat to look for in an l& Cburcb. BY GEORGE BENSON. church in many villages is the only THE of In after object antiquity. it, generation generation of the villagers have been baptised, married, and buried ; on it, the best work of the village mason, joiner, smith, and carver has been employed, and a good deal of the village history is contained within its walls, rendering the edifice so interesting that even strangers rarely leave the village without a peep at the church. To render the visit to a village church as interesting as possible, we purpose explaining the various objects as we may meet them. The church, with its burial ground, is enclosed by a wall. 1 2 CURIOUS CHURCH GLEANINGS. Each in its little plot of holy ground, How beautiful they stand, These old grey churches of our native land. At the entrance to the churchyard is the lych- gate, or corpse gate (A.S., lich, a dead body), being a covered gateway, beneath which the coffin rests on a bier for a few minutes. Through the lychgate are the stocks, in which those who had been guilty of some minor offence were placed. Nearer the church is the tall churchyard cross, elaborately carved and raised on steps, from which in some places sermons are preached in fine weather. Scattered over the burial ground are yew trees, which, having a long life, are typical of immortality. At Easter, Whitsun- tide, and Christmas, boughs of this tree were used to decorate the interior of the church. The church- yard is filled with headstones, table tombs, etc., many of them inscribed with quaint and curious epitaphs. The church, generally approached on the at south side, consists of a tower the west end ; south porch and aisles, with roof sloping from below the windows of nave and with ; chancel, priest's door. On the east end of the nave roof is a Sanctus bell cot, containing the bell which WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN AN OLD CHURCH. 3 " was rung at the words Sancte, sancte, sancte, " Deus Sabaoth (Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of and all who heard it were Sabaoth) ; expected to prostrate themselves. The east end of the chancel roof is terminated by a gable cross, richly sculptured, and on the wall is a consecration cross sculptured where the bishop when con- secrating the church had made the sign of the cross. The projecting pieces of masonry to the wall are termed buttresses, and on some there are deep furrows worn by sharpening arrows, when archery was practised in the churchyard. The buttresses terminate in gargoyles, projecting grotesque figures, with open mouths, which carry the water from the roof and throw it off the building. On one side of the entrance to the south porch is an ancient sun-dial, whilst above the moulded arch is a canopied niche, containing an effigy of the patron saint. Above is a window which lights the room over the porch. Within the porch on either side runs a stone bench, and on the walls are posted the church notices. The deeply moulded and shafted doorway is fitted with a door made from the oak of Old England, and enriched with beautiful bands of wrought ironwork representing the Fall of Man. 4 CURIOUS CHURCH GLEANINGS. Within the church, at the east side of the door, is a stone basin formed in the masonry. This is " " the Stoup used in mediaeval days for holy water. On entering, each worshipper dipped his a finger into it, and crossed himself. Sometimes stoup is met with outside the priest's door. Opposite the entrance stands the font, of stone, lined with lead, and filled with water for baptism. It is deep and circular in shape, ornamented on the exterior, and surmounted with a lofty crocketed spire, raised by a pulley and a counterpoise in the form of a dove, so that as it ascends the holy dove descends. The font stands between the north and south doors. Through the former Satan is said to escape from the child when, by baptism, it be- comes a child of Christ. Over the tower arch are the Royal Arms, and along the walls under the tower are tables recording the names of past benefactors to the poor, the parish, and the church. A bread board in the form of a carved cabinet with shelves, displays the loaves given to the poor who attend service in accordance with the wish of the benefactor. Unlocking a door in the angle, the tower is ascended in corkscrew fashion by narrow, dusty, and ill-lighted stairs. Plodding up the decayed, WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN AN OLD CHURCH.