Guernsey Folk Lore: a collection of popular superstitions, legendary tales, peculiar customs, proverbs, weather sayings, etc., of the people of that islandMacCulloch, Edgar, Sir
History
Guernsey Folk Lore: a collection of popular superstitions, legendary tales, peculiar customs, proverbs, weather sayings, etc., of the people of that island
MacCulloch, Edgar, Sir
Folklore -- Guernsey
There is a curious property attached to this well, that is that if a
maiden visits it, fasting and in silence, on nine successive mornings,
carefully depositing a piece of silver in the niche as an offering to
the saint, she is assured of matrimony within nine times nine weeks,
and, by looking into the well with an earnest desire to behold the
image of the intended husband, his face will appear mirrored in the
water. And, in former times, when the man was identified, the girl
gave his name to the priest, who then summoned him before St. George,
and, as destined for each other by Heaven, they were solemnly united.
There is still a tradition extant of one of the neighbouring girls of
the parish, being forbidden by her father to marry the man on whom her
heart was set, on the ground of his poverty, declaring that, having
seen his face in the well, he was evidently destined for her by Heaven,
and that she would claim him as her fate before the priest. On this her
father, fearing the exposure and public censure, gave his consent to
the marriage.[95]
There is also a legend told by Mr. Métivier of a country girl stealing
out one summer night in the year 1798, to meet her lover near the well,
flying home terrified, having seen a troop of bare skeletons grouped
round the well, and gazing into the troubled waters.
Connected with the Chapel of St. George was a cemetery, which boasted
of many relics, famous for their miracles.
At one time this cemetery was said to be haunted by a beautiful young
girl. Every night wailing and crying was heard, and a figure was seen,
much mangled, walking about. The cries were supposed to proceed from
the tomb of a girl who had disappeared from her home one night in a
most mysterious manner, and whose mangled corpse was picked up a few
days later near the Hanois rocks, so battered and bruised that it was
evidently not a case of suicide. However, in course of time, a grave
being opened near hers, some bones were thrown up, and, being handled
by an old man who in days gone by had been the murdered girl’s lover,
a stream of blood oozed out of the dry bone! and with awful shrieks he
owned to having been her murderer, and was executed soon afterwards at
the “Champ du Gibet” at St. Andrew’s.
[95] From Miss Lane, afterwards Mrs. Lane Clarke.
EDITOR’S NOTES.
With reference to the statement on page 181 that Torteval Church is
under the invocation of Our Lady. In “_A Survey of the Estate of
Guernzey and Jarzey_ by Peter Heylyn,--1656,” p. 320, he says:--“that
(church) which is here called Tortevall (is dedicated) as some suppose
unto St. Philip, others will have it to St. Martha.”
On page 187 it is said that a chapel probably existed on the site of
St. Martin’s Parish School. In Elie Brevint’s MSS. written in the early
part of the 17th Century he says:--“Les Havillands de St. Martin ont
donné la chappelle pour servir d’eschole, et de la terre auprès deux
fois autant que la verd de Serk, comme dit Thomas Robert.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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