A Custom Among the Lower Class of People

 



 "A Custom Among the Lower Class of People"






George Low, describing the Orkney Isles, in his travels, tells of the customs that local people attached to the stone circles before the 1770s. He writes that,

“There was a custom among the lower class of people in this country which has entirely subsided within these 20 or 30 years. Upon the first day of every new year the common people, from all parts of the country, met at the Kirk of Stainhouse, each person having provision for four or five days; they continued there for that time dancing and feasting in the kirk. This meeting gave the young people an opportunity of seeing each other, which seldom failed in making four or five marriages every year; and to secure each other’s love, till an opportunity of celebrating their nuptials, they had re- course to the following solemn engagements: The parties agreed stole from the rest of their companions, and went to the Temple of the Moon, where the woman, in presence of the man, fell down on her knees and prayed the god Wodden (for such was the name of the god they addressed upon this occasion) that he would enable her to perform all the promises and obligations she had and was to make to the young man present, after which they both went to the Temple of the Sun, where the man prayed in like manner before the woman, then they repaired from this to the stone marked D (?), and the man being on the one side and the woman on the other, they took hold of each other’s right hand through the hole (mentioned above), and there swore to be constant and faithful to each other. This ceremony was held so very sacred in those times that the person who dared to break the engagements made here was counted infamous, and excluded all society.

It was likewise usual, when husband and wife could not agree, that they both came to the Kirk of Stainhouse, and after entering into the kirk the one went out at the south and the other at the north door, by which they were holden legally divorced, and free to make another choice.” George Low


Sources



This is one of a loosely attached group of blogs called the "Orkney Riddle".

The key blog to the group is called the "Neolithic Immigrants to Britain" 

All views and opinions expressed are my own, but it remains a work-in-progress for which positive criticism and comment is welcomed.


Jeffery Nicholls 


South Ronaldsay 


Orkney 


Jiffynorm@yahoo.co.uk 

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