Maidens' Garlands

Abstract

In the years I789 and I790 John Johg, later fifth Viscount Torrington, was touring in the north of England, and wrote a diary. At Radford Priory, Old Worksop, Nottingham, he notes:

Beneath the gallery are several maiden garlands, several of which were lately, most insolently cut down by some mad puritan: … at Thurgarton were many of those white silk Chaplets, that were borne before the corpse at the interments of batchelors, and maidens; … But country customs, whether sacred, honourable, or of exertion, are now all laid aside.