Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 23, 1912.djvu/219

 Collectanea. 197

" Church CHpping " is the encompassing of a parish church by a ring of children or young persons, who join hands so as to form a great circle.

In the following notes I have detailed all the instances which I have been able to collect, with their associated games, customs, and songs, and, wherever possible, the exact scene of each, but I do not offer any suggestion as to a relation of these two ceremonies to each other.

Seventeen examples of the game of "Thread the Needle" and the custom of Church Clipping may be arranged as follows : —

I. '■'•Thread the Needle'' folloived by Church Clippings no other ceremonies, except pancake eating, being mentioned as peculiar to the day, which was always Shrove Tuesday : —

Bradford-on-Avon (Wilts). Ellesmere (Salop). South Petherton (Somerset). Wellington (Salop).

II. '•^Thread the Needie" associated with other gatnes and ceremonies, but without Church Clipping: —

Kendal (Westmoreland). {Easter Tuesday.)

Leicester (Leicestershire). {Easter Monday.)

Minchinhampton (Glos). {Easter Monday.)

Nassington (Northants). {May Day.)

Helpstone (Northants). {May Day.)

Tibberoughny (Kilkenny). {May Eve).

III. " Thread the Needle " alone :—

Longbridge Deverell (Wilts). {Shrove Tuesday.) Trowbridge (Wilts). {Shrove Tuesday.)

Evesham (Worcester). {Easter Monday.)

IV. Church Clipping alone : —

Birmingham (Warwick). {Easter Monday.)

Westbury (Wilts). {Shrove Tuesday.)

Cradley (Worcester). {Shrove Tuesday.)

Painswick (Glos). {Easter Monday.)

In all these instances (for Painswick, see 17 below), both customs occur as spring ceremonies observed at the end of the day's festivities, sometimes not ceasing till nightfall. Women had