Mr. Allies, in his "Antiquities and Folk-lore," mentions a remarkable
echo at the Upper House, Alfrick, which is so distinct that it will
allow about ten syllables to be uttered before it begins to repeat
them. A pointer-dog in the neighbourhood used to resort to the spot,
and bark till he was tired at his supposed antagonist. Nash records
that in the parish of Bromsgrove were several echoes--one at the white
gate, between Dyer's bridge and the turnpike; another in the Crown
Close behind High Street; a third at the east and west corners of the
church; a fourth at Woodcot; and a fifth on the east side of High
Street, near the Presbyterian meeting-house, opposite New Barn. Whether
any of these mocking nymphs have left their cells since the days of
Nash, the writer is unable to say. There is a good echo in the Bath
Road, about two miles from Worcester Cross, and another on Lansdowne
Terrace. In the garden of Chaddesley Corbett vicarage an echo is
produced by the tolling of the great bell of the church, which, after
an interval of two or three seconds, returns distinctly upon the ear,
as though it were the tolling of the bell of Stone church, which is two
miles distant.
THE LAST FOOL.
The last country gentleman who kept a fool--that is, a professional
jester--in his house, was said to have been Mr. Bartlett, of
Castlemorton. Jack Havod, or Hafod, was the name of "the squire's
fool," and his tricks and drolleries were remembered by the inhabitants
of Castlemorton long after his death, and are related even in the
present day. It is still a common saying there--"As big a fool as
Jack Havod;" and it is also told of him that on one occasion he was
assisting in storing peas in a barn, and there being insufficient room
for the crop, Jack very coolly shovelled them out of a window into a
pool of water underneath, saying, "We've got a vent for them now;" and
to this day it is a proverb in the neighbourhood--"We've got a vent for
them, as Jack Havod said."
NOTES ON ELMLEY LOVETT.
The only doctor of medicine known to have resided in this parish for
the last 200 years was John Aaron, Esq., of the Moat House, Cutnal
Green, who died in 1767, aged 83. He was descended from an ancient
family of Little Drayton, near Shiffnal, Salop.--Dr. Wanley, of Elmley
Lodge, who died in 1776, aged 69, was the only "D.D." that has held
that rectory for the last two centuries.--Between the river Salwarpe
and Bury-hill Estate, near Droitwich, is some meadow land belonging
to the parish of Elmley Lovett. This land is more than two miles
distant from the nearest boundary of the parish, and there runs some
part of three other parishes between it, viz., Elmbridge, Hampton,
and Salwarpe. The area of this land is about five acres, and is the
property of Mr. Roberts, and rented by a gentleman at Droitwich, who
pays the rates to Elmley Lovett.
COUNTY MAGISTRATES' WAGES.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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