Cornish Feasts and Folk-lore

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

—

Title

Cornish Feasts and Folk-lore

Language

en

Book source

Global Grey

Description max 80 words

M. A. Courtney presents a vivid Victorian survey of Cornish festivals, saints' days, superstitions, and village lore. This collection captures the county's rich hospitality, unique customs like 'feasten' celebrations, and enduring beliefs in ghosts, charms, and local legends, offering an immersive look at rural life and folklore.

Summary up to 500 words

M. A. Courtney's *Cornish Feasts and Folk-lore* offers a rich tapestry of Victorian Cornish life, blending the mundane with the magical. The text details the extensive calendar of 'feasten' days, where parishes gather to honor patron saints with special meals, games, and carousals. Specific local customs are vividly described, such as the 'Roast Goose Fair' at Redruth and the 'Allan' apples of Penzance, once used for fortune-telling to predict sweethearts. The narrative also explores deep-seated superstitions, including the fear of witches, the 'evil eye,' and the Christmas Eve tradition of 'going a gooding,' where poor women sought alms from richer neighbors. A significant portion of the work is dedicated to legendary 'ghost-layers.' Courtney highlights the Rev. Thomas Flavel, who commanded the spirit world, and the formidable Parson Dodge, who could banish demons with prayer or physical force. The book recounts tales of these clergymen exorcising spirits, including a story where a ghost was driven away by the collective crying of innocent children. Other notable figures include the Rev. Woods, who defeated a demon bird using unchristened infants, and John Wesley, who vanquished spirits in a haunted house at St. Agnes simply by saying grace. Courtney preserves the region's unique cultural heritage through local dialect, rhymes, and songs. He records the 'Baarley Mow' harvest song and the 'Long Hundred' ballast song, sung by laborers to keep time and cheer themselves during arduous work. The text also weaves in anecdotes of pirates, smugglers, and local history, such as the legend of buccaneer Avery burying treasure near Gunwalloe church. Through these anecdotes, Courtney illustrates a community where the boundary between the everyday and the supernatural was often thin, providing a substantial record of a unique cultural identity that has largely faded in the modern era.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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https://www.globalgreyebooks.com/ebooks/m-a-courtney_cornish-feasts-and-folk-lore.epub

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Categories

• Folklore