34 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COTTESWOLD CLUB 



At Kilcote there formerly stood a Chapel, dedicated to 

 St. Hilary, the site of which is called St. Hilly's Nap or 

 Tump. 



Newent Church is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the top 

 of the Spire was blown down in 1662, and the whole of 

 the roof fell in after service in 1673. It was repaired in 

 1679. 



Names of places, fields, etc., in Newent : Mantley House 

 Farm, on which is Woe Field, where local tradition says 

 that people was burned. 



Porter's Top, Corsw^all's Farm, Hides Croaks, Conegar, 

 Fatlands. 



NOTE ON MAY HILL 



It was the custom of the youth of Newent and of 

 the neighbourhood to meet upon Yartledon Hill, on May 

 Day, and contend in mock battle for the possession of it. 

 May Day was considered as the boundary day between 

 summer and winter ; in allusion to which one party of 

 youths fought for the continuance of winter, the other for 

 the bringing in of the spring. The party of spring was 

 always victorious, and returned triumphantly, carrying 

 flowers and green branches, and singing that they had 

 brought the summer home. 



Pauntley, anciently Pantelie. There was an ancient 

 custom in Pauntley intended to prevent the smut in 

 wheat, in some respects resembling the Scotch Beltein (or 

 Fires of Baal). 



On the eve of twelfth night, all the servants of every 

 farmer assembled together in one of his fields that had 

 been sown with wheat. At the ends of twelve lands they 

 made twelve fires in a row with straw, round one of 

 which, larger than the rest, they drank a hearty glass of 

 cider to their master, and success to the future harvest, 

 then returning home they feasted on cakes, made with 

 carrawavs soaked in cider, which thev claimed as the 



