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Folklore
| 3. Snivelling Corner About a mile north of Ashbury is a spot known as Snivelling Corner, a few yards south-east of where a footpath from Ashbury crosses a stream, and a quarter of a mile east of Tanner's Barn. The spot is marked by a rough sarsen, three feet long, two feet high, and one foot thick, with a cavity on one side. The tradition is that in days gone by, Wayland the Smith wanted some nails, so he sent his imp, Flibbertigibbet, down to the village of Ashbury to get the nails. But after the manner of boys, instead of coming straight back with the nails Flibbertigibbet went birds' nesting with some of the boys of the village. After an impatient wait Wayland spied him and in his fury threw a stone at him which pierced the ground and hit the imp on the heel. The dent in the stone is supposed to be where it hit the heel of the imp, who went away snivelling: hence Snivelling Corner ! It is curious how often indentations on stones are attributed to heelmarks. It is said that the Heel Stone of Stonchenge bears the imprint of the lieel of the friar when the stone was hurled at him by the Devil. There is also a good deal of folklore relating to other marks on stones, supposed to represent the imprints of the feet, or hands, of the Devil, or giants or other super-natural beings. A Saxon parallel to the Snivelling Corner legend has already been noted in the section on the legend of Wayland Smith. L. V. Grinsell White Horse Hill and the surrounding country - Page 21 Saint Catherine Press; 1st Edition edition - (1939 |
Posted by Chance21st August 2012ce Edited 8th April 2013ce
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