"The Whipping Toms" at Leicester.—A singular annual custom, under the above designation, formerly prevailed in this town, from time immemorial, on Shrove Tuesday. It is unnecessary to take up your valuable space with a detailed account of it, as it is fully described in Throsby's History of Leicester, p. 356., and in Hone's Year-Book, p. 538.
My object is to inquire if any custom at all analogous to it is known to have existed elsewhere, and, if so, what is the supposed origin of it?
Nothing whatever is known of the origin of the custom in this town, beyond a vague popular tradition that it was instituted (like several other curious customs) by John of Gaunt, during his lengthened residence in the castle within what was then termed "The New-Works" of which (now called "The Newarke") the gathering was held.
However venerable from its antiquity, it was, like too many of the sports of the Middle Ages, a custom "more honoured in the breach than the observance," and, as such, was put down in the year 1847 by a local act of parliament; not, however, without a serious affray between the police and the people.
Leicestriensis.
The Trial of Our Lord.—I have lately seen an old picture of the Trial of Our Lord before Pilate, who sits in the midst of the Jewish Sanhedrim, each member of which has a scroll over his head, giving his name and the sentence he is said to have uttered on that occasion. I have been told there is a large coarse engraving of this picture sometimes to be found in cottages, but I have not been able to procure one. The names and sentiments are of course fictitious; is anything known of their origin?
P. P.
Olney.—Can any correspondent state what is the signification of this name? The ancient spelling is Olnei or Olney, not Oulney, as it has sometimes been spelled of late years. The difficulty is not as to the termination ey, but as to the first syllable.
The parish church, which stands at the southern extremity of the town, on the banks of the Ouse, is entirely (modern alterations excepted) of the fourteenth century. There is not a trace of any earlier work. Tradition says that the church was formerly at the other, or northern end of the town, where there is a place which is, as I am informed, described in the deeds of some of the adjoining premises as the old churchyard, though it has been desecrated time out of mind. Closely adjacent is a clear spring, still called "Christenwell," and also the trunk of a very ancient elm. Human bones are stated to have been occasionally dug up within the enclosure.
There is a vague tradition that the town as well as the church has been removed southward, i. e. nearer the river. Readers of "N. & Q." who can supply any information respecting the removal of the church and town, or any other particulars (in addition to those contained in Dr. Lipscomb's History of Bucks) concerning the parish of Olney, including the hamlet and manor of Warrington, and the now district parish of Weston-Underwood, will greatly oblige