Grain and Chaff from an English Manor

As a result of increased facilities within the last quarter of a century for the exploration of formerly inaccessible parts of the country, interest concerning our ancient villages has been largely awakened. Most of these places have some unwritten history and peculiarities worthy of attention, and an extensive literary field is thus open to residents with opportunities for observation and research.

Such records have rarely been undertaken in the past, possibly because those capable of doing so have not recognized that what are the trivial features of everyday life in one generation may become exceptional in the next, and later still will have disappeared altogether.

Gilbert White, who a hundred and thirty years ago published his Natural History of Selborne, was the first, and I suppose the most eminent, historian of any obscure village, and it is surprising, as his book has for so long been regarded as a classic, that so few have attempted a similar record. His great work remains an inspiring ideal which village historians can keep in view, not without some hope of producing a useful description of country life as they have seen it themselves.

It is a pleasure to acknowledge with grateful thanks the kind help of friends and correspondents which I have received in writing this book. Mr. Warde Fowler was good enough to look through the chapters while still in manuscript, and I have also received great help from Mr. Herbert A. Evans, who has read through the proofs. The help of others--besides those whose names I give in the text--has been less general and mostly confined to some details in the historical part of the first chapter, and to portions of the subject-matter of the last. Mr. Hugh Last, Fellow of St. John's College, Oxford, most kindly gave much valuable time to the examination of the Roman coins and assigning them to their respective reigns; he contributed also the notes on the Emperors, with special reference to the events in Britain which occurred during their reigns. Mr. Dudley F. Nevill of Burley helped me in a variety of ways, and Mr. C.A. Binyon of Badsey supplied some of the historical details and information about the ancient roads.

Looking back over the years I spent at Aldington, I see much more sunshine and blue sky than cloud and storm, notwithstanding the difficulties of the times. It is a continual source of pleasure to go over the familiar fields in imagination and to recall the kindly faces of my loyal and willing labourers. I trust that what I have written of them will make plain my grateful remembrance of their unfailing sympathy and ready help.--ARTHUR H. SAVORY.

BURLEY, HANTS.

January, 1920.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. ALDINGTON VILLAGE--THE MANOR HOUSE--THE FARM.......... 1

II. THE FARM BAILIFF...................................... 11

III. THE HOP FOREMAN AND THE HOP DRIER..................... 23

IV. THE HEAD CARTER--THE CARPENTER........................ 35

V. AN OLD-FASHIONED SHEPHERD--OLD THICKER--A GARDENER--MY SECOND HEAD CARTER--A LABOURER......... 46

VI. CHARACTERISTICS OF AGRICULTURAL LABOURERS AND VILLAGERS........................................... 57

VII. MACHINERY--VILLAGE POLITICS--ASPARAGUS................ 80

VIII. MY THREE VICARS--CHURCH RESTORATION--CHURCHWARDEN EXPERIENCES--CLERICAL AND OTHER STORIES............. 89