Creeping through the holed stone

6 December · Cornwall

Lore and belief

Borlase recorded a holed stone in a Cornish parish through which people crept to cure pains in the back and limbs, and through which children were drawn to cure rickets. Two brass pins laid crossways on its top edge were used to answer questions. He also noted a custom of sleeping on certain stones on a particular night to be cured of lameness. The stone he meant is taken to be the Men-an-Tol at Madron.

many persons have crept for pains in their backs and limbs; and many children have been drawn for the rickets.

From Hone's Year Book, col. 1437. Read the original

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