Cornwall has always been a county largely given to hospitality, and,
as "all Cornish gentlemen are cousins," they have from time immemorial
made it a practice to meet at each other's houses to celebrate their
feasts and saints' days.
Since "there are more saints in Cornwall than there are in heaven,"
these friendly gatherings must necessarily be very numerous. Each
parish has its own particular saint to which its church is
dedicated. The feasts held in their honour, probably dating from the
foundation of the churches, are kept on the nearest Sunday and Monday
to dedication day, called by the people "feasten" Sunday and Monday.
Every family, however poor, tries to have a better dinner than usual
on feasten Sunday; generally a joint of meat with a "figgy-pudden"
(a baked or boiled suet-pudding with raisins in it).
On the preceding Saturdays large quantities of "plum cake" are baked;
light currant cakes raised with barm (yeast), and coloured bright
yellow with saffron (as dear as "saffern" is a very common simile
in Cornwall). This "saffern cake" at tea is often supplemented with
"heavy cake" (a delicacy peculiar to the county), a rich currant paste,
about an inch thick, made with clotted cream, and eaten hot.
The Western hounds meet in all the villages situated at a convenient
distance from their kennel, at ten o'clock on feasten Mondays, and,
after a breakfast given by the squire of the parish to the huntsmen,
start for their run from somewhere near the parish church (the "church
town"). Three or four houses clustered together, and even sometimes
a single house, is called in Cornwall "a town," a farmyard is "a town
place," and London is often spoken of as "Lunnon church town."
The first of the West Penwith feasts is that of Paul, a parish close to
Penzance, which has not the Apostle Paul but St. Pol-de-Lion for its
patron saint. It falls on the nearest Sunday to 10th of October. An
old proverb says, "Rain for Paul, rain for all," therefore, should
the day be wet, it is of course looked upon by the young people as
a bad sign for their future merry-makings. An annual bowling-match
was formerly held on feasten Monday, between Paul and Mousehole men
(Mousehole is a fishing village in the same parish); the last of
them took place sixty years ago. Up to that time the bowling-green,
an artificially raised piece of ground, was kept in order by the
parishioners. No one in the neighbourhood now knows the game; the
church schools are built on a part of the site, and the remainder
is the village playground. If there were ever any other peculiar
customs celebrated at Paul feast they are quite forgotten, and the
Monday night's carousal at the public-houses has here, as elsewhere,
given place to church and chapel teas, followed by concerts in the
school-rooms, although there are still a few "standings" (stalls)
in the streets, for the sale of gingerbread nuts and sweetmeats, and
one or two swings and merry-go-rounds, largely patronised by children.
October 12th. A fair, called Roast Goose Fair, is held at Redruth.
On the nearest Saturday to Hallowe'en, October 31st, the fruiterers
of Penzance display in their windows very large apples, known locally
as "Allan" apples. These were formerly bought by the inhabitants and
all the country people from the neighbourhood (for whom Penzance is
the market-town), and one was given to each member of the family to
be eaten for luck. The elder girls put theirs, before they ate them,
under their pillows, to dream of their sweethearts. A few of the apples
are still sold; but the custom, which, I have lately been told, was
also observed at St. Ives, is practically dying out. On "Allantide,"
at Newlyn West, two strips of wood are joined crosswise by a nail in
the centre; at each of the four ends a lighted candle is stuck, with
apples hung between them. This is fastened to a beam, or the ceiling of
the kitchen, and made to revolve rapidly. The players, who try to catch
the apples in their mouths, often get instead a taste of the candle.
In Cornwall, as in other parts of England, many charms were tried on
Hallowe'en to discover with whom you were to spend your future life,
or if you were to remain unmarried, such as pouring melted lead
through the handle of the front door key. The fantastic shapes it
assumed foretold your husband's profession or trade.
Rolling three names, each written on a separate piece of paper,
tightly in the centre of three balls of earth. These were afterwards
put into a deep basin of water, and anxiously watched until one of
them opened, as the name on the first slip which came to the surface
would be that of the person you were to marry.
Tying the front door key tightly with your left leg garter between the
leaves of a Bible at one particular chapter in the Song of Solomon. It
was then held on the forefinger, and when the sweetheart's name was
mentioned it turned round.
Slipping a wedding-ring on to a piece of cotton, held between the
forefinger and thumb, saying, "If my husband's name is to be ----
let this ring swing!" Of course, when the name of the person preferred
was spoken, the holder unconsciously made the ring oscillate. I have,
when a school-girl, assisted at these rites, and I expect the young
people still practise them.
In St. Cubert's parish, East Cornwall, is a celebrated Holy well, so
named, the inhabitants say, from its virtues having been discovered
on All Hallows-day. It is covered at high spring tides.
St. Just feast (which, when the mines in that district were prosperous,
was kept up with more revelry than almost any other) is always held
on the nearest Sunday to All Saints'-day. Formerly, on the Monday,
many games were played, viz.--"Kook, a trial of casting quoits farthest
and nearest to the goal, now all but forgotten" (Bottrell), wrestling,
and kailles, or keels (ninepins), &c. Much beer and "moonshine" (spirit
that had not paid the duty) were drunk, and, as the St. Just men are
proverbially pugnacious, the sports often ended with a free fight. A
paragraph in a local paper for November, 1882, described a St. Just
feast in those days as "A hobble, a squabble, and a 'hubbadullion'
altogether." Rich and poor still at this season keep open house, and
all the young people from St. Just who are in service for many miles
around, if they can possibly be spared, go home on the Saturday and
stay until the Tuesday morning. A small fair is held in the streets
on Monday evening, when the young men are expected to treat their
sweethearts liberally, and a great deal of "foolish money" that can
be ill afforded is often spent.
In many Cornish parishes the bells are rung on November 4th,
"Ringing night."
The celebration of Gunpowder Plot has quite died out in West Cornwall,
but in Launceston, and in other towns in the eastern part of the
county, it is still observed. As regularly as the 5th of November
comes around, fireworks are let off, and bonfires lit, to lively
music played by the local bands.
"This year, 1884, 'Young Stratton' celebrated the Fifth with much
more than his customary enthusiasm. A good sum was raised by public
subscription by the energy of Mr. C. A. Saunders. The Bude fife and
drum band headed a grotesque procession, formed at Howl's Bridge,
and second in order came a number of equestrian torch-bearers in all
kinds of costumes, furnished by wardrobes of Her Majesty's navy, the
Royal Marines, the Yeomanry, and numerous other sources. 'Guido Faux'
followed in his car, honoured by a postilion and a band of Christy
Minstrels; then came foot torch-bearers, and a crowd of enthusiastic
citizens, who 'hurraed' to their hearts' content. Noticeable were
the banners, 'Success to Young Stratton,' the Cornish arms, and
'God save the Queen.' The display of fireworks took place from a
field overlooking the town, and the inhabitants grouped together
at points of vantage to witness the display. The bonfire was lit on
Stamford Hill, where the carnival ended. Good order and good humour
prevailed."--(Western Morning News.)
When I was a girl, I was taught the following doggerel rhymes, which
were on this day then commonly chanted:--
"Please to remember the fifth of November!
A stick or a stake, for King George's sake.
A faggot or rope, to hang the Pope.
For Gunpowder Plot, shall never be forgot,
Whilst Castle Ryan stands upon a rock."
This was in Victoria's reign; where Castle Ryan stands I have never
been able to learn.
The old custom formerly practised in Camborne, of taking a marrow-bone
from the butchers on the Saturday before the feast, which is held on
the nearest Sunday to Martinmas, was, in 1884, revived in its original
form. "A number of gentlemen, known as the 'Homage Committee,'
went round the market with hampers, which were soon filled with
marrow-bones, and they afterwards visited the public-houses as
'tasters.'"--(Cornishman.)
One night in November is known in Padstow as "Skip-skop night," when
the boys of the place go about with a stone in a sling; with this
they strike the doors, and afterwards slily throw in winkle-shells,
dirt, &c. Mr. T. Q. Couch says: "They strike violently against the
doors of the houses and ask for money to make a feast."
At St. Ives, on the Saturday before Advent Sunday, "Fair-mo" (pig
fair) is held. This town is much celebrated locally for macaroons;
a great many are then bought as "fairings." The St. Ives fishing
(pilchard) season generally ends in November, consequently at this
time there is often no lack of money.
The feast of St. Maddern, or Madron feast, which is also that of
Penzance (Penzance being until recently in that parish), is on
Advent Sunday.
The last bull-baiting held here was on the "feasten" Monday of 1813,
and took place in the field on which the Union is now built. The
bull was supplied by a squire from Kimyel, in the neighbouring parish
of Paul. A ship's anchor, which must have been carried up hill from
Penzance quay, a distance of nearly three miles, was firmly fixed in
the centre of the field, and to it the bull was tied. Bull-baiting was
soon after discontinued in Cornwall. The following account of the last
I had from a gentleman who was well known in the county. He said, "This
I think took place in a field adjoining Ponsandane bridge, in Gulval
parish, at the east of Penzance, in the summer of 1814. I remember the
black bull being led by four men. The crowd was dispersed early in the
evening by a severe thunderstorm, which much alarmed the people, who
thought it (I was led to believe) a judgment from heaven."--(T.S.B.)
The second Thursday before Christmas is in East Cornwall kept by
the "tinners" (miners) as a holiday in honour of one of the reputed
discoverers of tin. It is known as Picrous-day. Chewidden Thursday
(White Thursday), another "tinners'" holiday, falls always on the
last clear Thursday before Christmas-day. Tradition says it is the
anniversary of the day on which "white tin" (smelted tin) was first
made or sold in Cornwall.
On Christmas-eve, in East as well as West Cornwall, poor women,
sometimes as many as twenty in a party, call on their richer neighbours
asking alms. This is "going a gooding."
At Falmouth the lower classes formerly expected from all the
shopkeepers, of whom they bought any of their Christmas groceries, a
slice of cake and a small glass of gin. Some of the oldest established
tradespeople still observe this custom; but it will soon be a thing
of the past.
In some parts of the county it is customary for each household to make
a batch of currant cakes on Christmas-eve. These cakes are made in
the ordinary manner, coloured with saffron, as is the custom in these
parts. On this occasion the peculiarity of the cakes is, that a small
portion of the dough in the centre of each top is pulled up and made
into a form which resembles a very small cake on the top of a large
one, and this centre-piece is usually called "the Christmas." Each
person in a house has his or her especial cake, and every person
ought to taste a small piece of every other person's cake. Similar
cakes are also bestowed on the hangers-on of the establishment, such
as laundresses, sempstresses, charwomen, &c.; and even some people who
are in the receipt of weekly charity call, as a matter of course, for
their Christmas cakes. The cakes must not be cut until Christmas-day,
it being probably "unlucky to eat them sooner."--(Geo. C. Boase,
Notes and Queries, 5th series, Dec. 21st, 1878.)
The materials to make these and nearly all the cakes at this season
were at one time given by the grocers to their principal customers.
In Cornwall, as in other English counties, houses are at Christmas
"dressed up" with evergreens, sold in small bunches, called "Penn'orths
of Chris'mas"; and two hoops fastened one in the other by nails at
the centres are gaily decorated with evergreens, apples, oranges,
&c., and suspended from the middle beam in the ceiling of the best
kitchen. This is the "bush," or "kissing bush." At night a lighted
candle is put in it, stuck on the bottom nail; but once or twice
lately I have seen a Chinese lantern hanging from the top one.
In a few remote districts on Christmas-eve children may be, after
nightfall, occasionally (but rarely) found dancing around painted
lighted candles placed in a box of sand. This custom was very
general fifty years ago. The church towers, too, are sometimes
illuminated. This of course, on the coast can only be done in very
calm weather. The tower of Zennor church (Zennor is a village on the
north coast of Cornwall, between St. Ives and St. Just) was lit up
in 1883, for the first time since 1866.
When open chimneys were universal in farmhouses the Christmas stock,
mock, or block (the log), on which a rude figure of a man had been
chalked, was kindled with great ceremony; in some parts with a piece
of charred wood that had been saved from the last year's "block." A
log in Cornwall is almost always called a "block." "Throw a block on
the fire."
Candles painted by some member of the family were often lighted at
the same time.
The choir from the parish church and dissenting chapels go from house
to house singing "curls" (carols), for which they are given money or
feasted; but the quaint old carols, "The first good joy that Mary
had," "I saw three ships come sailing in," common forty years ago,
are now never heard. The natives of Cornwall have been always famous
for their carols; some of their tunes are very old. Even the Knockers,
Sprig-gans, and all the underground spirits that may be always heard
working where there is tin (and who are said to be the ghosts of the
Jews who crucified Jesus), in olden times held mass and sang carols
on Christmas-eve.
In the beginning of this century at the ruined baptistery of St. Levan,
in West Cornwall (Par-chapel Well), all the carol-singers in that
district, after visiting the neighbouring villages, met and sang
together many carols. Mr. Bottrell says, "One was never forgotten,
in which according to our West Country version, Holy Mary says to
her dear Child:--
'Go the wayst out, Child Jesus,
Go the wayst out to play;
Down by God's Holy Well
I see three pretty children,
As ever tongue can tell.'
"This for its sweet simplicity is still a favourite in the west."
An old carol or ballad,
"Come and I will sing you," etc.,
known to many old people in all parts of the county, has been thought
by some to be peculiar to Cornwall; but this is an error, as it has
been heard elsewhere.
At the plentiful supper always provided on this night, [1] egg-hot,
or eggy-hot, was the principal drink. It was made with eggs, hot beer,
sugar, and rum, and was poured from one jug into another until it
became quite white and covered with froth. A sweet giblet pie was one
of the standing dishes at a Christmas dinner--a kind of mince-pie,
into which the giblets of a goose, boiled and finely chopped, were
put instead of beef. Cornwall is noted for its pies, that are eaten on
all occasions; some of them are curious mixtures, such as squab-pie,
which is made with layers of well-seasoned fat mutton and apples,
with onions and raisins. Mackerel pie: the ingredients of this are
mackerel and parsley stewed in milk, then covered with a paste and
baked. When brought to table a hole is cut in the paste, and a basin of
clotted cream thrown in it. Muggetty pie, made from sheep's entrails
(muggets), parsley, and cream. "The devil is afraid to come into
Cornwall for fear of being baked in a pie."
There is a curious Christmas superstition connected with the Fogo,
Vug, or Vow (local names for a cove) at Pendeen, in North St. Just.
"At dawn on Christmas-day the spirit of the 'Vow' has frequently
been seen just within the entrance near the cove, in the form of a
beautiful lady dressed in white, with a red rose in her mouth. There
were persons living a few years since who had seen the fair but
not less fearful vision; for disaster was sure to visit those who
intruded on the spirit's morning airing."--(Bottrell, Traditions,
&c., West Cornwall, 2nd series.)
The following is an account by an anonymous writer of a Christmas
custom in East Cornwall:--
"In some places the parishioners walk in procession, visiting the
principal orchards in the parish. In each orchard one tree is selected,
as the representative of the rest; this is saluted with a certain form
of words, which have in them the form of an incantation. They then
sprinkle the tree with cider, or dash a bowl of cider against it, to
ensure its bearing plentifully the ensuing year. In other places the
farmers and their servants only assemble on the occasion, and after
immersing apples in cider hang them on the apple-trees. They then
sprinkle the trees with cider; and after uttering a formal incantation,
they dance round it (or rather round them), and return to the farmhouse
to conclude these solemn rites with copious draughts of cider.
"In Warleggan, on Christmas-eve, it was customary for some of the
household to put in the fire (bank it up), and the rest to take a jar
of cider, a bottle, and a gun to the orchard, and put a small bough
into the bottle. Then they said:--
"Here's to thee, old apple-tree!
Hats full, packs full, great bushel-bags full!
Hurrah! and fire off the gun."
--(Old Farmer, Mid Cornwall, through T. Q. Couch,
Sept. 1883, W. Antiquary.)