Curious Marriage Customs.

Otago Witness, Issue 2179, 28 November 1895, Page 55

Curious Marriage Customs.

At Bedford, in Northumberland, it has long been usuil, according to Mr T F. Thistleton Dyer, to make the bridal pair leap over a stone, known as the "louping" or "petting stone," placed outside the church porch, on which spot, it is said, the bride niu*t leave all her pets and humours bebiud her wheu she crosses it;.Anofcher ordeal of a similar nature is associated with Jarrow Church, where is preserved the chair of the Venerable Bede, on which all brides are enthroned as soon as the marriage service is over. The idea is that this act will make them the joyful mother of children. There are a good many chairs of this kind. Whoever, for instance, sits in Bt. Michael's chair, Cornwall, fitht after marriage will obtain mastery iv domestic matters ; but in years pact brides were specially warned against sitting down on the left seat at the entrance to Yarmouth Church, popularly known as the " Devil's Seat," as it was supposed to render anyone who sat upon it ever afterwards liable to misfortune. Breaking bread over the bride's head is regarded as an important custom in our northern couuties, an old practice alluded to by Herrick : " While some repnat your praise and bless you, sprinkling you with wheat." Iv pa*t years an important custom was the nuptial kiss, in which the officiating priest often joined. At Cranbrook, in Kent, as well as in other places, it was the custom to 6trew the bride's pathway, nob with flowers, bat with emblems of the bridegroom's trade ; thus a carpenter walked on shavings, a shoemaker on le&ther parings, and a blacksmith on piecei of old iron.