Hitherto, the Legends of Longdendale--although popular with the
country people of the extreme north-east corner of Cheshire--have been
scattered, and, to some extent, fragmentary. They are here re-told in
what, I hope, is a more permanent and complete form. As far as
possible I have carefully followed the original versions; but in one
or two instances, it has been necessary to draw upon imagination. I
have, therefore, introduced several characters and incidents for the
purpose of giving local connection and completeness to those stories
which were lacking in detail or were vague in location. The legends
are here printed in chronological order. They were first published in
the columns of the "CHESHIRE POST" during the winter of 1905-6; and it
is to the kind encouragement and assistance of Mr. Frederick Higham,
the proprietor and editor of that journal, that they owe their
appearance in book form.
If further explanation as to the publication of these stories be
considered necessary, I would refer the reader to the Preface to the
first series of "The Traditions of Lancashire." In it Mr. Roby quotes
the following passage from a German writer:--"All genuine, popular
tales, arranged with local and national reference, cannot fail to
throw light upon contemporary events in history, upon the progressive
cultivation of society, and upon the prevailing modes of thinking in
every age. Though not consisting of a recital of bare facts, they are
in most instances founded upon fact, and in so far connected with
history, which occasionally, indeed, borrows from, and often
reflects light upon, these familiar annals, these more private and
interesting casualties of human life. It is thus that popular
tradition connected with all that is most interesting in human history
and human action upon a national scale, ... invariably possesses so
deep a hold upon the affections, and offers so many instructive hints
to the man of the world, to the statesman, the citizen, and the
peasant."
I may add to the above the fact that these wild and improbable tales
have a fascination for me, and that I firmly believe it to be the duty
of the people of the present to preserve from oblivion the traditions
of the past. In the case of the County of Lancaster, this preservation
has been admirably carried out by the late John Roby; and it is with
the desire to perform a similar service for the County of Cheshire--or
at least one corner of it,--that I have ventured to write the stories
which appear in this volume.