Page:Lancashire Legends, Traditions, Pageants, Sports, Etc., with an Appendix Containing a Rare Tract.djvu/119

 by the thousand—they were awed by his presence as well as convinced by his arguments; and he was powerfully assisted by "James the deacon, a man of zeal and great fame in Christ's Church." It was fortunate that the mistake in the Status should have been investigated by such a competent authority as the historian of Whalley; and there is satisfaction in the thought that tradition has restored to the great "Apostle of the North" the honour of having banished the Paganism of the kingdom of Northumbria, and planted Christianity in its stead.

WINWICK CHURCH.

The parish church of Winwick stands near that miracle-working spot where St Oswald, King of the Northumbrians, was killed. The founder had destined a different site for it, but his intention was overruled. Winwick had not then even received its name, the church being one of the earliest erections in the parish. The foundation of the church was laid where the founder had directed; and the close of the first day's labour showed that the workmen had not been idle by the progress made in the building. But the approach of night brought to pass an event which utterly destroyed the repose of the few inhabitants around the spot. A pig was seen running hastily to the site of the new church; and as he ran he was heard to cry or scream aloud, "We-ee-wick, we-ee-wick, we-ee-wick." Then, taking up a stone in his mouth, he carried it up to the spot sanctified by the death of St Oswald, and thus employing himself through the whole night, succeeded in removing all the stones which had been laid by the