At St Luke’s-tide the keepers and foresters of the New Forest came every year to St Luke’s chapel at Stoke Verdon, in the parish of Broad Chalke, to make offerings for luck with their game, deer and cattle. St Luke was held to be the patron saint of horned beasts and of those who tended them. Aubrey added that the foresters of Kingswood made their offerings in the same way at Acton Turville in Gloucestershire.
The New Forest keepers’ offerings to St Luke
18 October · Broad Chalke, Wiltshire
No longer kept
and Forresters of ye New Forest came hither yeare at St. Lukes-tyde, to make their offerings to St. Luke, that they might be fortunate in their Game, their Deer, & their cattle.
From Aubrey's Remaines of Gentilisme and Judaisme, p. 174. Read the original
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