referred to, bears on its tower the date 1614. It stands well up the slope on the opposite side of the valley from Holcombe, to the north-east, and distant from it two miles. It is interesting to find that the minister's pathway from Holcombe to Edenfield, though unused for generations, is still traceable. High up the Rake,1 opposite the north side of Holcombe Church, may be seen built up in the roadside wall the place of the steps whereby the minister descended from the old church to cross the road. His path thence ran along below where the Haslingden highway now exists, across the Tip o' th' Top o'th' Taper, down by Topwood Mill and Kibboth Crew, thence along Carr Bank Meadow, through Ox-hey Wood above Stubbins, past Stubbins Vale and Strongstrye, crossing the Irwell at Alderbottom, and thence along the track up the slope, right to Edenfield Church. The church "was styled Parochial in 1738." From "having the rights of baptism and sepulture, and also the privilege of imposing a church-rate," it has been "inferred that a chapel existed here previous to the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and that either a new church was built then, or the old one for the first time consecrated."

The distinguished Puritan clergyman, the Rev. Henry Pendlebury, entered upon the incumbency of the chapelry of Holcombe in 1651. He was ejected by the Act of Uniformity in 1662. It is the congregation which followed him out. side the National Establishment at that time whose chequered story will be told in the Second Book of this volume. But, at this point, we may conveniently put on

record the successors of Mr Pendlebury in Holcombe Episcopal

Church, as far as ascertainable, down to the present time.1 There is no name recorded between 1662 and 1733.

The old chapel of Holcombe was pulled down in 1851, and the present handsome structure, erected on the grand old site, was consecrated in 1853, during the incumbency of the late Mr Nightingale. Originally, Holcombe was a

3

1 For these particulars the author is indebted to the kindness of the present rector-the Rev. Henry Dowsett.

It was, we believe, Mr Nightingale who was instrumental in suppressing the cruel practice of cock-fighting, which long prevailed in the village, where it was countenanced in person by peers sometimes, as well as by commoners.

3 In the old church stringed instruments were used, at one time, in the service of praise. Mr John B, well remembered as John O'Matty's-loved his bass fiddle, and played it in the church on Sundays with all his heart. On a day of special importance at Holcombe, John laid down the fiddle-stick for a moment, after tuning up, and just before the grand piece of the service began. Jim W-, as forgetful of the time and place as he was full of youthful frolic, had prepared himself for the occasion. He lifted the bow and quietly drew a piece of fat bacon along the face of it, and put it in its place again. The music began, but the bass was not audible. John, thinking the vocalists too vigorous, with a somewhat suppressed shout said, "Sing smo', sing smo'!" It was retorted, "Thy owd timber's gloppent, mon!" John, with eyes staring with amazement, steaming dewdrops forming on his brow, and the bowarm plunging away across the unmelodious strings, replied, "Is it, hectum as like-sing smo, brast yo', sing smo!" John, worthy man, discovered too late where the mischief lay.

Perpetual Curacy, under the ancient Parish of Bury, in the Diocese of Chester. But, by an Instrument under the seal of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, dated February 1, 1866, it was declared a Rectory, under the provisions of 28 and 29 Vict., c. 42. Commodious new premises for day and

Sunday schools were opened in 1866, in lieu of the grim old courthouse removed in 1864.

We may also glance at that peculiar institution which strikes its roots far into the past of Holcombe-the Rushbearing or Wakes. The modern festival called the Ramsbottom Wakes, now fading towards a blank, while the well-earned

holiday it brings is filling up with wise facilities for rational
change and reinvigorating enjoyment, is a degenerate de-
scendant of the old festival, which for many generations
performed its yearly function at the parent village farther
up the hill. The long history of the latter, in its own way,
furnishes a verification of the words of Goethe,-

"That what the moment can employ,
What it requires and can enjoy,
The moment for itself creates."

These festivals seem to have sprung up many centuries
ago in the rural districts of England, in connection with
the dedication of the churches. When a church was con-
secrated, it was dedicated to some saint. In this fact the
parishioners, no doubt glad of something to break the tedium
of their life of toil, found material in many cases for two
annual festivals, or parish wakes-one on the anniversary
of the dedication, the other on that of the birth of the
saint to whom the church was dedicated. In this case the
church was strewn with rushes and flowers, while the pulpit
and other parts were, as they thought, fittingly adorned with
boughs, leaves, &c. Our word “wake" comes from an old
Saxon word waecan or waican, which means to excite or rouse,
and also to watch. The religious service-the wake or watch
-began, like the ecclesiastical day, in the evening, just as

1 The change from Holcombe to Ramsbottom was not effected by any formal resolution on the part of the people. The owner of an establishment of swinging-boats, "Dobby "-horses, &c., declined one year to climb the hill. It was a stormy day, and he located himself near the Grant Arms. The change proved a financial success. Others followed his example, and ultimately the old village was supplanted.

i

we still regard Christmas eve; and the day following was a holiday.

In anticipation of the morrow, tents and stands were erected in the churchyard, furnished with the cakes and ale of the olden time. The parishioners generally appear to have been more enamoured of the material than the spiritual festival, and so, in course of time, it came about that wakes --with the crowd of people from surrounding districts, and busy hawkers and merchants selling their varied wares, &c. -became a kind of fair or market, utterly devoid of the religious element from which they originally sprang. Unfortunately, in time they became seasons of deplorable indulgence and unruliness. So much was this the case that, even as far back as the reign of Edward I. in 1285, a law was framed forbidding the holding of fairs and markets in country churchyards. This evidently did not prove permanently effectual; for, in 1448, Henry VI., while allowing necessary victuals, prohibited the showing of goods and merchandise in connection with the great festivals of the church. Nearly a century later, in Henry VIII.'s time, Convocation, in 1536, ordered that all the dedication festivals should be held at the same time-the first Sunday in October. After this, these festivals gradually ceased, but the saint's-day festivals were not affected by the Act of Convocation. Wakes have accordingly continued to the present time.

It is said that the Rushbearing proper, in its more interest ing and ornate form, continued in the village of Holcombe to a later date than in any other parish in the country. At the time of which we now particularly write-about fifty years ago-three gentlemen, well known in the district, had the chief management of its affairs. These were Mr Joshua