272 History of the 



broke ; and the mass of rubbish which he carried fell to the 

 ground, where it has lain to this hour. 



It is some such tradition of the close proximity of the Devil to 

 the district which has given rise to the following saying, quoted by 

 Bamford : (/)— " There's a fine leet i' th' welkin, as th' witch o' 

 Brandwood sed when th' Devil wur ridin' o'er Rossenda." 



The belief in Witchcraft, and in the existence of evil spirits, was 

 at one time very prevalent amongst the lower classes in the 

 district. Remnants of such superstitions still exist. At the 

 present day it is not uncommon to find a horeshoe nailed behind 

 the outer door, or on the lintel over the entrance, intended to 

 scare the witch from the dwelling, or prevent her devilish cantrips 

 from taking effect upon the inmates. The inquisitive eye may 

 also detect over the stalls in the shippons of some of the old farm- 

 houses, the " lucky-stone," pendant by a thread from a nail in the 

 ceiling. This was thought to be an infallible charm to protect the 

 cattle from being " witched," and to prevent the cream from 

 breaking in the churn. 



The doings of the notorious " Tong Boggart " are familiar to 

 almost every one in Bacup, and few but have heard rehearsed the 

 story of his unearthly bowlings and knockings that kept the 

 neighbourhood in a ferment of terror for weeks together. 



The " Goodshaw Witch " was a noteworthy personage in her 

 day ; but even against her black art there was an all-sufficient 

 antidote. The superstitious people of the neighbourhood would 

 place a piece of oaten cake underneath their pillow at night on 

 retiring to rest ; and this, if eaten in the morning when they 

 awoke, but before opening the eyes, was a safeguard to shield them 

 during the day from the unholy influences of the withered beldam ; 

 failing to take this precaution, the worst mischiefs were liable to 

 befall them. An unfortunate girl, who had neglected the necessary 

 preservative, was one morning sent by her mother to the old 

 woman to borrow a handful of salt. The reputed witch, not over 



(/) Life of a Radical, chap. vi. 



