510 



On a discovery of Horse-heads in the Belfry of Elsdon 

 Church, Northumberland. By Dr. Edward C. Robert- 

 son, Otterburn. 



In 1877 it was found necessary to pull down the small spire, 

 which terminated the beli-turret, that surmounts the western 

 gable of St. Cuthbert's Church, Elsdon. In the spire, immedi- 

 ately over the bell was discovered a small chamber, without any 

 opening, and in it, nearly filling the cavity, were three horse- 

 heads or rather skulls, piled against each other in a triangular 

 form, the jaws being uppermost. The heads look to be two of 

 draught horses, and one of a cob . 



Measurement of horse slculls, found in spire of Elsdon Church. 



I. 

 II. 

 III. 



Tov.«+i, «Tr^.«+i,«+^v. '.Breadth from one eye- 

 Length overthetop. ^^ , , , .. ,, •; 



I socket to the other. 



24J inches. 

 24| inches. 

 20| inches. 



7^ inches. 

 7| inches. 

 6| inches. 



Circumference of 



head over 



centre of eyeholes. 



23 inches. 

 22 inches. 

 201 inches. 



Much speculation arose as to the meaning of horses' heads being 

 placed in such a position. By some it was looked upon as a 

 mason's freak ; by others that the cavity had been formed to act 

 like a hollow sounding-board, to assist by its vibrations the feeble 

 sounds of the single bell in the tower. Neither of these views is 

 a sufficient explanation of the strange placing of horse-heads in 

 a chamber evidently formed to receive them, in the highest part 

 of an edifice devoted to God's worship. I venture to express the 

 view, that the reason of the placing the heads of horses on high, 

 and fixing them in the tower, is to be found in some old Pagan 

 custom, derived even as our language, and indeed we ourselves, 

 originally from the far East. 



Many Pagan customs stiU obtain amongst us, and many have 

 only lately died out. In all countries superstitions die hard. A 

 negro in the West Indies, who all his life has prayed and sung 

 psalms with the Methodists, is after death often found to have 

 round his neck some talisman, obtained from the Obi Man. The 

 fires at Midsummer, through which cattle were driven to protect 

 them from disease, were burning only a few years ago on Elsdon 

 green — their origin in the worship of Baal being forgotten; Well- 

 worship continues to this day, and votive gifts, not so valuable 



