Rev. J. W. Dunn on the Ancient Vill of Warhworth. 417 



■vicar testily, " Never you mind, — go you on," " I can't go on 

 sir," recalcitrated the clerk, " for I don't know where you 

 be." It is not recorded how the altercation ended. 



In those days the roads were so impassable during the 

 winter months, that coals could only be obtained by being 

 conveyed in sacks on the backs of horse or mule, carting being 

 out of the question. My informant told me of one winter 

 within his recollection, when the only two animals used in 

 this necessary labour were a mule and an ass. Indeed, from 

 the great difficulty experienced in obtaining coal, persons, on 

 going out to dinner at Christmas time, have been known to 

 carry with them a block of coal as a most acceptable present 

 to their hosts. This is hardly credible, but it is nevertheless 

 most true. 



Our roads are still as bad as roads probably are in any 

 part of England, but even in this respect we must have made 

 considerable progress. I have been told that the state of the 

 roads, so late as fifty years ago, was so bad that the farmers 

 could not use carts for the conveyance of their corn to Aln- 

 mouth, the sea-port of the day, and had to send it in sasks on 

 horses. 



At the same period almost every house had outside steps, 

 or " mounts " as they were called, — two only now remain, — 

 to enable the wife or daughter to mount the pillion on which 

 they travelled, under the guidance of master or brother, to 

 market or fair. 



An odd custom prevailed as to marriages in those simple 

 days. The bridal party proceeded in all solemnity to church, 

 with saddle and pillion, if the distance required it ; but, the 

 ceremony over, the whole cortege, except perhaps the bride 

 and bridegroom, who were allowed to take their ease, started 

 off helter-skelter. As fast as spurs could drive them, splash 

 through ruts of untold depth, and among swampy quagmires 

 such as roads without a bottom seem rather to have pleasure 

 in exhibiting, — the fair one clinging screamingly but trust- 

 ingly to the rough rider before her, — away they went, to be 

 the first in for the " kail," which, whoever arrived soonest 

 at the house where the marriage feast was celebrated, failed 

 not to claim. 



Our villagers do not appear to have directed their attention 

 much to scientific subjects ; and yet there have evidently been 

 times when discussions of that character took place among 

 them. It is related of one of them, whose very name I 

 have failed to ascertain, that he was sadly puzzled by hearing 



