Some English Trivia
Stadle stones, not saddle, are mushroom shaped stones placed
under a barn. They provide a sort of air circulation/ conditioning for the barn
and also keeps out water as well as any
varmints that might want to get into the barn. Although the barn sits on them
they are not the total support for the barn.
In
the 1700s windows were open wooden framed spaces in the walls that tended to be
small and few in number. Being open left the home exposed in bad weather. When
it rained a cloth covered the wooden frame over the window opening. The cloth
was smeared with cooking fat, and perhaps this was the original storm window.
We boarded a manual winch ferry to cross the
river. The ferry was different than any I’ve ever seen. A fellow stood and
turned a wheel, which moved a chain, and somehow that propelled us the short
distance across the river.
Not
all churches had sanctuary knockers, but if they did and you reached it, you
were automatically granted 37 days of sanctuary. After that you were on your
own
The Saxons were farmers, who developed fleece, laying
the groundwork for the prosperity of medieval merchants, who in turn built the
churches and alms houses, many of which are still occupied even though
centuries old!
A ceiling boss is an ornament, often of carved wood,
but can be plaster, that overlays the joints of wood or plaster beams on
decorative ceilings. They are most unique.
Slaughter, in England refers to nothing bloody, but is a
Saxon word meaning place of many pools.
Ploughman’s lunch: traditionally the ploughman (plow) took his lunch to
the field with him in the morning. It consisted of cheese and hard bread or
roll. I’m not sure what the drink of the day was, probably ale. Ploughman
sandwiches are still popular in many areas of England.
No place is Cornwall, England is more
than 20 miles from the coast and the ocean.
Cornwall, England is the land of
legendary shipwrecks, with over 3000 recorded along the rugged coastline.
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