In many parts of this county the church bell is rung about noon, as the signal for preparing pancakes. At Daventry the bell which is rung on this occasion is muffled on one side with leather, or _buffed_, as it is termed, and obtains the name of _Pan-burn-bell_. Jingling rhymes in connection with this day are repeated by the peasantry, varying in different districts. The following are the most current: “Pancakes and fritters, Says the bells of St. Peter’s. Where must we fry ’em? Says the bells of Cold Higham. In yonder land thurrow [furrow], Says the bells of Wellingborough. You owe me a shilling, Says the bells of Great Billing. When will you pay me? Says the bells at Middleton Cheney. When I am able, Says the bells at Dunstable. That will never be, Says the bells at Coventry. Oh, yes it will, Says Northampton Great Bell. White bread and sop, Says the bells at Kingsthrop. Trundle a lantern, Says the bells at Northampton.” That the bells of the churches of Northampton used also to be rung on this day may be inferred from the following similar doggerel: “Roast beef and marsh-mallows, Says the bells of All Hallow’s, Pancakes and fritters. Says the bells of St. Peter’s. Roast beef and boil’d, Says the bells of St. Giles’. Poker and tongs, Says the bells of St. John’s.[13] Shovel, tongs, and poker, Says the bells of St. Pulchre’s.[14]” Baker, _Northamptonshire Words and Phrases_, vol. ii. p. 92. [13] St. John’s Hospital. [14] The church of St. Sepulchre is often called “Pulchre’s” in Northampton. At Earls Barton the custom of making “leek pasties” is observed. A party of shoemakers, after procuring a chaff-cutter and a quantity of leeks, proceed to the green, where they publicly chop the vegetable to the amusement of the spectators.--See _Gent. Mag._, 1867, _4th S._ vol. iv. p. 219. NORTHUMBERLAND. Formerly at Alnwick the waits belonging to the town used to come playing to the Castle every year on Shrove Tuesday at two o’clock P.M., when a foot-ball was thrown over the Castle walls to the populace.--Brand, _Pop. Antiq._, 1849, vol i. p. 92. NOTTINGHAMSHIRE. At Aspley Old Hall, in days gone by, butter and lard, fire and frying-pans were provided for all the poor families of Wollaston, Trowell, and Cossall, who chose to come and eat their pancakes at this mansion. The only conditions attached to the feast were, that no quarrelling should take place, and that each wife and mother should fry for her own family, and that when the cake needed turning in the pan, the act should be performed by tossing it in the air and catching it again in the pan with the uncooked side downwards. And many were the roars of laughter which took place among the merry groups in the kitchen, at the mishaps which occurred in the performance of this feast, in which his Honour and Madam joined.