Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 1 1883.djvu/386

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HERE are a few notices of folk-lore in William Coxe's Historical Tour in Monmouthshire (2 vols. 4to. 1801), which may prove of interest to readers of the Folk-Lore Journal:—

"In many parts of this county the poor of every persuasion still retain the custom of begging bread for the souls of the departed on All Souls Day; the bread is called Bara ran, or Dole bread."—Vol. i, p. 30.

Christchurch.—"This church contains a curious sepulchral stone, on which are carved two rude whole-length figures of a man and woman, with their arms folded, standing on each side of a cross. The inscription on the border is in Gothic characters, and, though in some parts illegible, shows it to be the tomb of a man and his wife, who died in the fourteenth century. A superstitious belief prevails among the lower class of people in these parts, that sick people who touch this stone on the eve of the Ascension are miraculously cured. At that time, the children who are thus exposed remain during the whole night in contact with some part of the stone. Mr. Sturge, who has given, in the Archæologia [vol. v. p. 78], a, fac-simile, relates that in 1770 not less than sixteen were laid out on it; but the custom is gradually falling into disuse; the clerk informed me that only six or seven now make their appearance."—Vol. i. p. 40.

"Abergavenny church.—In the middle window of the north aisle of the choir is a colossal figure of S. Christopher, with a long beard and flowing hair, carved out of a single piece of wood. I am informed by my friend Mr. Evans, that in Roman Catholic times it was the custom at funerals to carry the corpse into the northern aisle, and present it to S, Christopher, whose figure was usually there placed; and that