Lancashire Folk

Photo credit: Warrington Museum & Art Gallery

‘Bawming the Thorn’ is a lovely traditional ceremony held at Appleton each year. The term ‘bawming’ comes from the old English word ‘bawm’ which means to adorn or anoint. The ‘thorn’ is a whitethorn tree, a variety of hawthorn. The ceremony has been through many forms in its centuries of existence but today’s version is largely based on the 19^th century event where the village’s children decorated the tree with flowers and ribbons and danced around it. They would then take part in a variety of games and, of course, a feast.

The tradition fell out of fashion for a while, having degenerated from a lovely ritual into a rowdy affair, but was resurrected in the 1970s by the Primary School’s headmaster, Bob Jones. In older days the ceremony was always held on June 29^th, St. Peter’s day, but now, for the sake of convenience, it happens on the Saturday closest to Midsummer’s Day. Modern festivities include a climbing wall, a fairground and stalls selling everything from fudge to make-up and greetings cards.

The actual ceremony of Bawming the Thorn, however, has much older roots. The hawthorn tree is said to be a descendant of the Holy Thorn of Glastonbury. The original Holy Thorn is said to have been brought to Glastonbury by Joseph of Arimathea, the man who arranged for Jesus’ burial. He planted his staff in the ground on Wearyall Hill, where it took root and grew into a thorn tree. Cuttings from the tree were taken to many places in the British Isles. The original Appleton thorn was brought by local crusader knight Adam de Dutton, in 1178.

Today’s tree is a replacement but is still revered, protected by railings in its special place near the church. Its sacred nature comes from the belief that Jesus’ crown of thorns was made from this very tree. It was however, regarded as very unlucky to bring blossom from this tree into the house, because to do so would be inviting death to follow. Indeed, the blossom was said to have the smell of death about it. In fact, it has been discovered that the chemical trimethylamine, contained in the scent of the blossom, is also one of the chemicals emitted by a body after death so this old belief does have a basis in fact.

On a cheerier note, a long-standing Cheshire May Day custom was to hang a bunch of May blossom outside one’s sweetheart’s house. It was also considered entirely appropriate for brides to wear May blossom in their hair. This may well derive from the ancient Celtic belief that hawthorn signifies love and protection. The hawthorn was regarded as a sacred tree long before Christianity came to these shores.

Hawthorn trees are traditionally home to fairies, who act as their guardians. The 13^th century poet and mystic Thomas the Rhymer wrote that the fairy Queen had appeared to him at a hawthorn tree and took him into her own fairyland, where he spent a short time – or so he thought. When he emerged, he found that seven whole years had passed. Those who believed in fairies would not allow a hawthorn tree to be destroyed, for fear of retribution.

Taking all this magic into account, the ceremony of Bawming the Thorn suddenly takes on new significance. A group of children from the local school process to the Appleton Thorn, which has already been dressed with red ribbons. The children carry flowers and wear matching red and white outfits, with two of them taking on the roles of Sir Adam de Dutton and his page. Once they are all gathered at the tree, Sir Adam pronounces, “I, Adam de Dutton, raise this thorn, on this morn in Appleton Thorn.” The rest of the children then reverently lay their flowers at the base of the tree. A choir, dressed in black and red, now starts to sing the traditional bawming song and the children dance, in pairs, around the tree. The song, written by Mr. Egerton-Warburton, is sung to the tune of ‘Bonnie Dundee’.

The Maypole in spring merry maidens adorn, Our midsummer May-Day means Bawming the Thorn. On her garlanded throne sits the May Queen alone, Here each Appleton lad has a Queen of his own.

(Chorus) Up with fresh garlands this Midsummer morn, Up with red ribbons on Appleton Thorn. Come lasses and lads to the Thorn Tree today To Bawm it and shout as ye Bawm it, Hooray!

The oak in its strength is the pride of the wood, The birch bears a twig that made naughty boys good, But there grows not a tree which in splendour can vie With our thorn tree when Bawmed in the month of July.

(Chorus)

Kissing under the rose is when nobody sees, You may under the mistletoe kiss when you please; But no kiss can be sweet as that stolen one be Which is snatched from a sweetheart when Bawming the Tree.

(Chorus)

Ye Appleton Lads I can promise you this; When her lips you have pressed with a true lover’s kiss, Wooed her and won her and made her your bride, Thenceforth shall she ne’er be a thorn in your side.

(Chorus)

So long as this Thorn Tree o’ershadows the ground, May sweethearts to Bawm it in plenty be found. And a thousand years hence when tis gone and is dead, May there stand here a Thorn to be Bawmed in its stead.

(Chorus)

The author of this song was Rowland Egerton-Warburton (1804–1891) of Arley Hall. He also commissioned the painting in the image illustrating this article, in 1880.

Another, earlier song, was written by Dr Egerton Leigh (1702 – 1760) an Anglican clergyman based at High Legh and author of many ballads based on local legends.

(Chorus) Bawm the old Thorn, At peep of dawn, This happy morn, Bawm the Thorn.

Hasten lads and lassies all, Here together neighbours call; Let the trumpet’s brazen tongue Summon all, both old and young.

(Chorus)

 Years, years ago thy shade hath seen Our grand-dames dancing on the green. Hath seen our sires as wee things play And while the summer hours away.

(Chorus)

Branches of thy fragrant May, By love-sick swain, at break of day Have oft been hung at maiden’s door, With Nature’s gems bespangled o’er.

(Chorus)

Here vows of love have oft been made By fond youth whispering in thy shade; Oft hath the evening breeze I wiss Mixed with the murmur of a kiss.

(Chorus)

Thy ruby stores (to childhood’s eye So beautiful), when winter’s nigh, Tempt startled field-fares to thy tree. By hunger tamed, to feast on thee.

(Chorus)

Slowly beneath thy boughs hath past When earth to earth returns at last As generations melt away. The weeping funeral array.

(Chorus)

But to-day away with sorrow. Nought shall grieve us till tomorrow: With dance and feast and village lay We’ll celebrate our bawming day.

(Chorus)

Clip the hawthorn, scatter flowers, Rob for this the brightest bowers; Urge on the dance and wassail – say We will, we will be mad today.

(Chorus)

Finally, let’s not forget the traditional home of merriment, the local pub, the Thorn Inn, which was also commemorated in verse…

As long as you’re sober you’re safe at the Thorn, But if drunk overnight it will prick you next morn. May the lord of the manor who planted it thrive, May the wenches who bawm it all speedily wive; May the old ‘neath its shadow in comfort repose, And Appleton flourish as long as it grows.

Walton Hall, on Walton Lea Road, was built between 1836 and 1838 and is a Grade II listed building. The Greenall family bought the estate in 1814, their wealth the result of the family brewing business founded by Thomas Greenall in 1762. Thomas was a hard-working businessman who had also ventured into other areas such as spinning, coal mining and nail making, but brewing was his most successful business. By 1800, Thomas’ three sons were also involved in the brewery business but by 1817 only Edward remained.

Edward Greenall bought the Walton estate and built the Hall, which then passed to Gilbert, his son. Gilbert continued to run the brewery business but also served as a Conservative MP for three decades –  a service which earned him his peerage. Walton Hall next passed to his son, also Gilbert, better known as Lord Daresbury, who ran the estate as an agricultural venture and hosted the Walton Agricultural Show each year. Lord Daresbury’s wife was largely responsible for laying out the Hall’s magnificent gardens which were often open to the public.

Lady Daresbury (Frances Eliza Griffith) died in 1953 but, according to rumour, she continues to haunt Walton Hall, her beloved home. I’m not sure how accurate this is, because Walton Hall was sold to Warrington Borough Council just after the Second World War and both the Hall and the gardens were then open to the public. Would Lady Daresbury have remained in residence? Perhaps her ghost simply preferred to haunt the home she had loved so much during her life.

The legend of Lady Daresbury’s demise, however, says that she died in the bathroom adjoining her bedroom. Some of the visitors touring the house have found those rooms very unwelcoming and are left with the impression that they are unwanted intruders. Lady Daresbury has also been seen standing at the top of the staircase and some visitors say they have felt unsteady on that staircase, as if someone was deliberately pushing them, in the hope that they might fall.

There is no doubt that Lady Daresbury would have known how to project a commanding presence; as well as handling a large household of servants, she also employed twenty-six gardeners and no doubt would have expected excellent work from her work-force. It stands to reason that if she objected to people invading her private rooms, she would make her presence unequivocally felt.

However, it is interesting that an early mention of a haunting at Walton Hall dates from June 1915, when a young couple were rudely awoken by their bedroom door noisily opening and then slamming shut again. When they mentioned this the next morning, they were told that an old lady haunted that room. This was clearly not Lady Frances Eliza Daresbury, who lived until 1953.

Lady Daresbury aside, Walton Hall is also said to be haunted by ghostly children who are heard running through the hall or playing in rooms which are then found to be empty. One specific child, known as Alice, is said to have been a former resident of the Hall who died there before she was fully grown.

An unidentified male ghost haunts the function room and spectral servants have been seen in various locations. Some rooms are studiously avoided by today’s staff, who have known objects in them to move and are certain that even when they are alone in these rooms, there is something otherworldly in there with them…

Over the years, several teams of ghost-hunters have spent the night at Walton Hall. In 2008, a group of staff from Deeside College stayed overnight to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Society. A newspaper report of that event (which raised a healthy £700) described the hauntings a little differently to modern reports, saying that Lady Daresbury’s ghost was often seen standing at her bedroom window, looking out at the gardens. Also, staff had reported hearing a woman crying on that upper floor but, when they investigated, all the rooms were empty. TV’s popular series ‘Most Haunted’ also came to Walton Hall in 2016. There are certainly no signs that Walton Hall’s haunted reputation is fading away.

I came across an entertaining fact whilst researching Walton Hall – it has nothing to do with ghosts but the urge to include it here was irresistible. Walton Hall and its gardens now house a variety of exotic creatures and one of the first of these, many years ago, was a parrot called Polly who was well-known for her bad language. She had, allegedly, learned all these awful words from her owner, Lady Daresbury!

Image By Peter I. Vardy – Public Domain- https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3951016

On the exterior of St. Oswald’s Church in Winwick, Warrington, are two figures representing St. Oswald and St. Antony. Just to the side of St. Antony’s foot is another little carving, worn with time, which some believe to be a lion, the emblem of a local family, the Gerards. Such is the sensible history.

Others believe that the carving is not a lion at all, but a pig. Why? Well, there are three explanations to choose from. The first says that it is associated with St. Antony, who gave up a life of degeneracy in order to become a Christian. The pig, regarded as a filthy creature, represents the degenerate life which St. Antony trampled underfoot.

The second explanation is that the pig is in memory of the annual ‘tithe pig’ which made regular tours of the village in search of food. The pig wore a little bell around its neck and parishioners, on hearing the bell, would offer up anything they could spare. In due course, the fattened pig would be slaughtered and shared out amongst the poorest families.

The third explanation, though, carries all the hallmarks of a true English folkloric story and is, for that reason, my favourite.

It is said that St. Oswald died here, in battle, in the year 642. When it was decided to build a church in his honour, the chosen location was a little distance away from the small hill on which he had died. Builders and stone-masons were hired, materials were acquired and work on the foundations of the church commenced but, each morning, the stones were found to have been moved to the little hill nearby. Finally, a night-watchman was appointed. When morning came he had a truly remarkable tale to tell, about a huge unearthly pig who had appeared amidst the stones. The pig, he said, had picked up the stones one by one and carried them to the small hill – the precise site of St. Oswald’s death – where he deposited them. Hearing this, the superstitious builders felt they had no choice but to build the church where it now stands and the stonemasons added a carving of the pig so all would remember him.

St. Oswald’s Church is not the only church about which such a tale is told. Time and again we hear legends of supernatural forces influencing the siting of churches, with their foundations being moved night after night until the builders give in and follow these determined instructions. Usually, the spot is chosen by fairies or the Devil. Other influencers are rare but not unknown – in Leyland the culprit was a huge ghostly cat – but the legend of Winwick’s church is, to my knowledge, the only one to mention a pig.

Quite why this story is told so often, in so many villages and towns at great distances from each other, is not a question which can be easily answered. However, it is a fact that many early Christian churches were built on the sites of earlier, pagan, religious buildings. Perhaps, then, the real answer to the mystery of these moving churches is that when the builders chose the wrong spot, local people quietly put them right and blamed supernatural forces which could not be questioned.

As an afterthought, it’s also worth noting that in Winwick, folklore mentions the squealing noise the ghostly pig made, describing it thus; “Wee-wick”. It is said that this how Winwick came by its name. Of course.

Image: Colin Park.