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Old
Cornwall Christmas
Traditions
Cornish
Carols - A Tradition For The World
16. Lostwithiel
The
coinage hall town of Lostwithiel has a history of mining stretching back
hundreds if not thousands of years and December has been a time of celebration
for most of that time. The miners of the area are said to have
celebrated Picrous day.
Quiller
Couch obligingly favours us with the following note on Picrous.day:— “The
second Thursday before Christmas-day is a festival observed by the tinners of
the district and known as Picrous.day. It is not at present marked by any
distinctive ceremonies, but it is the occasion of a supper and much
merry-making. The owner of the tin-stream contributes a shilling a man towards
it. This is said to be the feast of the discovery of tin by a man named Picrous.
What truth there may be in the tradition of the first tinner, Picrous, it is now
too late to discover, but the notion is worth recording. "
Robert Hunt rge 19th century recorder of Folk-Lore gives us the following droll
or story: -
ON the Thursday
immediately preceding Christmas-tide (year not recorded) were assembled at "The
Rising Sun" the captain and men of a Stream Work 2
in the Couse below. This Couse was a flat alluvial moor, broken by
gigantic mole-hills, the work of many a generation of tinners. One was half
inclined, on looking at the turmoiled ground, to believe with them that the tin
grew in successive crops, for, after years of turning and searching, there was
still enough left to give the landlord his dole, and to furnish wages to some
dozen Streamers. This night was a festival observed in honour of one Picrous, 3
and intended to celebrate the discovery of tin on this day by a man of
that name. The feast is still kept, though the observance has dwindled to a
supper and its attendant merrymaking.
 Our
story has especially to do with the adventures of one of the party, John
Sturtridge, who, well primed with ale, started on his homeward way for
Luxulyan Church-town. John had got as far as Tregarden Down without any
mishap worth recording, when, alas he happed upon a party of the little
people, who were at their sports in the shelter of a huge granite boulder.
Assailed by shouts of derisive laughter, he hastened on frightened and
bewildered, but the Down, well known from early experience, became like
ground untrodden, and after long trial no gate or stile was to be found. He
was getting vexed, as well as puzzled, when a chorus of tiny voices shouted:
"Ho I and away for Par Beach!" John repeated the shout, and was in an
instant caught up, and in a twinkling found himself on the sands of Par. A
brief dance, and the cry was given: "Ho! and away for Squire Tremain's
cellar!" A repetition of the Piskie cry found John with his elfish
companions in the cellars at Heligan, where was beer and wine galore. It
need not be said that he availed himself of his opportunities. The mixture
of all the good liquors so affected him that, alas! he forgot in time to
catch up the next cry of "Ho! and away for Par Beach!" In the morning John
was found by the butler, groping and tumbling among butts and barrels, very
much muddled with the squire's good drink. His strange story, very
incoherently told, was not credited by the squire, who committed him to jail
for the burglary, and in due time he was convicted and sentenced to death.
The morning of
his execution arrived; a large crowd had assembled, and John was standing under
the gallows tree, when a commotion was observed in the crowd, and a little lady
of commanding mien made her way through the opening throng to the scaffold. In a
shrill, sweet voice, which John recognised, she cried: "Ho! and away for
France!" which being replied to, he was rapt from the officers of justice,
leaving them and the multitude mute with wonder and disappointment.
So on
Thursday 16th December,
2010,
between 6:00pm to 9:00pm you are invited
to join in the Lostwithiel's
Dickensian Evening . This year will be bigger and better
than ever with more music, more food and more good will.
If you're wondering what goes on,
you're in for a treat, you'll find an old fashioned
Victorian Style evening in our Christmas Tree lined
streets, with all the local shopkeepers open and
dressed up in period costume offering a warm welcome
and those unusual gifts you won't find anywhere else
and maybe some mulled wine to ward of the winter
chill. You'll hear town bands playing and choirs
singing carols and Christmas songs, bell ringers
ringing, buskers busking, street entertainers
entertaining you and an old fashioned children's
roundabout. We will also have some of our historic
buildings open to the public with our Town Mayor in
attendance.
Local
singers Kescana made a Christmas CD in 2002 called "Nadelik - a
Cornish Christmas.". To hear the Cherry Tree Carol from it click here
This is an old Cornish carol
and Merv Davy the Federation's music recorder has arranged this version
from a fusion of three others.
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