In some places in this county, Good Friday is termed “Cracklin Friday,” as on that day it is customary for children to go with a small basket to different houses, to beg small wheaten cakes, which are something like the Jews’ Passover bread, but made shorter or richer, by having butter or lard mixed with the flour. “Take with thee loaves and cracknels” (1 Kings, xiv. 3).—Harland and Wilkinson, Lancashire Folk-Lore, 1867, p. 227.
Lincolnshire.
In Glentham Church there is a tomb with a figure known as Molly Grime. Formerly this figure was regularly washed every Good Friday by seven old maids of Glentham, with water brought from Newell Well, each receiving a shilling for her trouble, in consequence of an old bequest connected with some property in that district. About 1832 the custom was discontinued.—Old English Customs and Charities, 1842, p. 100.
Isle of Man.
Good Friday is in some instances superstitiously regarded in the Isle of Man. No iron of any kind must be put into the fire on that day, and even the tongs are laid aside, lest any person should unfortunately forget this custom and stir the fire with them; by way of a substitute a stick of the rowan tree is used. To avoid also the necessity of hanging the griddle over the fire, lest the iron of it should come in contact with a spark of flame, a large hammock or soddog is made, with three corners, and baked on the hearth.—Train, History of the Isle of Man, 1845, vol. 2, p. 117.
Middlesex.
It was for a considerable period customary on Good Friday for a sermon to be preached in the afternoon at St. Paul’s Cross,[28] London, the subject generally being Christ’s Passion. The Lord Mayor and Aldermen usually attended.
[28] Respecting the age of St. Paul’s Cross, Stow declares himself ignorant. Dugdale, however, records, on the authority of Ingulphus, that its prototype, a cross of stone, was erected on the same spot, A.D. 870, to induce the passers-by to offer prayers for certain monks slain by the Danes. St. Paul’s Cross consisted of some steps, on which was formed a wooden pulpit, covered with lead, whence sermons were preached to the people every Sunday morning. It was not, however, specially reserved for this purpose; since from this place, at times, the anathema of the Pope was thundered forth, or the ordinances of the reigning king were published, heresies were recanted, and sins atoned for by penance.
So early as 1256, we find John Mancell calling a meeting at Powly’s Crosse, and showing the people that it was the king’s desire that they should be “rulyd with justyce, and that the libertyes of the cytie shulde be maynteyned in every poynt.” In 1299 the Dean of St. Paul’s proclaimed from the Cross that all persons who searched for treasure in the church of St. Martin-le-Grand, or consented to the searching, were accursed; and it was here that Jane Shore, with a taper in one hand, and arrayed in her ‘kyrtell onelye,’ was exposed to open penance. After 1633, sermons were no longer preached at the Cross, but within the cathedral; and in 1643 it was altogether taken down.—Godwin and Britton, Churches of London, 1839; Pennant, Account of London, 1793; Brayley, Londiniana, 1829.
At the church of All Hallows, Lombard Street, a sermon is preached every Good Friday in accordance with the directions of the will of Peter Symonds, dated 1587. Gifts, also, are distributed, consisting of a new penny and a packet of raisins, to a certain number of the younger scholars of Christ’s Hospital.—City Press, April 12th, 1873.[29]