some churches after funerals to scare away evil spirits--an interesting addition to North-Country folk-lore. Leprosy was apparently a serious trouble in the two counties five or six centuries ago. John de Vetripont gave to Shap Abbey the hospital of St. Nicholas, near Appleby, on condition that the abbot and convent should maintain three lepers in the hospital for ever. In 1356 Sir Adam, rector of Castlekayroke (Castle Carrock), was cited to show cause why, being seized with leprosy to such a degree that his parishioners dare
not resort to divine service, he ought not to have a coadjutor assigned him.
There are still to be found traces in some of the older churches of the rooms of anchorites. Experts have stated that the vestry at
Greystoke seems to have been used as an anchor-hold or reclusorium. It is believed that two reclusi, or inclusi, sometimes dwelt to-
gether there, one living in the vestry and the other in the room above. The latter apartment may have been used for a[Pg 47] chantry
priest, a church watcher, or a sacristan. Among the architectural curiosities of the two counties may be noted the church tower of
Kirkoswald. The parish church is built at the foot of a steep hill, facing the Eden, while the old market town is on the sharply rising
ground at the rear. The parishioners would thus have but a small chance of hearing the bells when sounded for service if they occu-
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pied the ordinary place. Consequently for a very long time--certainly before the present church was built--the two bells have been placed in a detached tower on the top of the hill at the rear of the church, and over a hundred yards away from the building.
Many ecclesiastical buildings, from the cathedral down to the humblest village chapel-of-ease, would seem to have had curious inscriptions or pictures upon their walls. Nearly all these have disappeared, and later comers are indebted for their knowledge of what has been to such industrious chroniclers as Machell, Burn, and others. The former put on paper in 1692 the following lines, which were on the walls of the south chapel of Kirkby Lonsdale Church:--
C. W. (Arms)
16 68.
[Pg 48] "This porch by ye Banes first builded was,
Of Heighholme Hall they weare;
And after sould to Christopher Wood,
By William Bains thereof last heyre;
And is repayred as you see, And set in order good
By the true owner nowe thereof
The fore saide Christopher Wood."
As in our own day the restoration or alteration of a church frequently caused much ill-feeling in a parish, and there are records of several such "scenes" in Cumberland and Westmorland in bygone days. One such was at Sebergham, where the church was rebuilt in
1825-6, and a tower built at the west end. On the first Sunday that the edifice was opened the following protest in rhyme was found nailed to the church door:--
"The priest and the miller built the church steeple
Without the consent or good will of the people.
A tax to collect they tried to impose
In defiance of right and subversion of laws.
The matter remains in a state of suspension, And likely to be a sad bone of contention.
If concession be made to agree with us all
Let the tax be applied to build the church wall.
Churchyard wall now in a ruinous state. Sebergham High Bound, July 12, 1826."
While dealing with the architectural curiosities of North-Country churches, allusion should be[Pg 49] made to a story connected
with that at Ambleside. A piece of painted glass on the north side of the old church has a representation of what is locally known as
the carrier's arms--a rope, a wantey-hook, and five packing pricks, or skewers, these being the implements used by the carriers and
wool staplers for fastening their packing sheets together. The tradition is that when the church needed rebuilding, together with the
chapels of St. Mary Holm, Ambleside, Troutbeck, and Applethwaite, which were all destroyed or rendered unfit for divine worship,
the parish was extremely poor; the parishioners at a general meeting agreed that one church would serve the whole. The next ques-
tion was, where it should stand. The inhabitants of Undermillbeck were for having it at Bowness. The rest thought that as Troutbeck
Bridge was about the centre of the parish, it should be built there. Several meetings in consequence were held, and many disputes
and quarrels arose. At last a carrier proposed that who ever would make the largest donation towards the building should choose the
situation of the church. An offer so reasonable could hardly be refused, and many gifts were immediately named. The carrier, who
had acquired a[Pg 50] fortune by his business, heard them all, and at last declared that he would cover the church with lead. This
offer, which all the rest were either unable or unwilling to outdo, at once decided the affair. The carrier chose the situation, and his
arms (or more properly his implements) were painted on the north window of the church. Tradition adds that this man obtained the
name of Bellman, from the bells worn by the fore-horse, which he first introduced there.
Several instances of fonts having found their way from churches to private grounds have been made known during recent years, one being at Penrith, and others at Musgrave and Brough-under-Stainmore. On the western side of the county, in the grounds of Mr. T.
Dixon, Rheda, is the ancient font, dated 1578, belonging to Arlecdon Church. In the third decade of this century, says the Rev. H.
Sugden in his notes on the history of the parish, it was acting at a farm-house as a trough to catch rain-water from the roof. Subse-
quently the font was found by Mr. Dixon in a stone wall at Rowrah Hall, and was removed to its present place of safety. It seems that
the contractor who rebuilt the church in 1829, was allowed to use or dispose of any of[Pg 51] the material or contents. The font and
an ancient tombstone of the Dixons, were sold by him, and while the font was made into a water-catcher, the tombstone found its
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way to a farm at Kirkland, where it was utilised as a sconce in the dairy. Occasionally churchwardens were guilty of what would seem to have been vandalism. At Kirkby Lonsdale (1686), they recorded the last of a Norman font:--"Received for the old font stone,
6d."
Among the regulations made by the Head Jurie of Watermillock in 1627 was this:--"Item, It is ordered by the jurie that every ten-
nent of this parish shall sitt in church in their own seats that hath formerly been set forth to their ancestors. And if any have a desire
to sitt in the Lady Porch, besides such as have their ancient Rooms therein, they shall sitt there paying yearly for the same to the use
of the Church ijd. pr Annum." The churchwardens were evidently kept close to their duties by the same authority, as may be seen
by this entry in the book:--"It is ordered that the Churchwardens of this Parish shall not be discharged of their office in any year