Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-14
ANCIENT ENGLISH CUSTOMS.
The Giant Of the Chalk Hills-Burying
Suicides at Cross Roads.

From the Detroit Free Press.
Among the almost universal custom of rails
ing tumuli, statues or monuments commence
rative Of persons and events, England, perhaps,
stands alone with peculiar custom of carving
objects on the side of chalk hills. The 'Cerne
Giant" which is to be seen at great distance,
dug on q hillside at Cerne Abbas, Dorsetshire,
is a very interesting specimen of this unique
art do not remember the dimensions. but
the figure occupies considerable space, other
wise it would not be easily distinguished at a
distance, where only it can be made out. 1t is
that of a man with club in his hand, and, al
though it was, believe, intended to represent
one Of the early kings of England, do not
think il is certain which.
Strange objects of this and other kinds, how
ever, generally bear "local reputation" or
otherwise, local tradition, which in the present
case is, as usual, rather absurd, and is to the
effect that the figure represents a giant who
once killed and Toasted on a farmers sheep on
the hill, and having gorged himself lay down
to sleep, when the villagers stole upon and
killed him! / should state that to form the
figure the surface earth is dug away, revealing
the white chalk and it would seem that con-
siderable skill must have been displayed and
the work directed from distance, in order to
give 1t the proper perspective. While the
giant" has evidently existed for many CEN
turtles, there is an excellent modern figure of
horse and rider on hill near the little water
ing place of Weymouth, representing King
George I'LL, who visited there. statue is also
erected on the esplanade with an inscription re-
cording the event. The hill incisions have to
be cleaned up abont once in two years.
The singular ancient custom of burying sui
cides at cross country roads has long since be-
come obsolete. believe the persons so ''hon-
ored' had met their fate chiefly if not entirely,
by drowning. 1t will be remembered THAT
fha fra orr nf of hos
unfortunates, concludes with the witty cOuplet:
And they buried him at four cross roads
With stake in his inside.
1t is said that on being interred-presumably
without a coffin-a green stake was driven
through the body of the victim.
The somewhat barbarous custom of gibbet-
ing murderers, too, has happily long since
been abolished. The worst form of gibbeting
alive or starving the condemned man to death
in an iron cage or some lonely heath. exposed
to the elements, was terrible compared with
the milder form of exposing the body after
death on a post In many localities the site of
gibbeting post is concentrated, the writer
remembering a spot called 'Jack Whites
Gibbet"
Turning to something a little more pleasant,
the reader may not have heard. or, if so, seen
what are termed fairy rings" which consist of
distinct and perfectly formed beaten round
tracks, of about one foot, on q green field
down or rabbit warren, ''traditionally" said to
be formed by fairy. These rings vary in size
and distinctness, and while some are quite so
yards in circumference, others are not more
than 10 or Is and are generally surrounded by
the commonest fungi or toadstool. 1t would be
interesting to know how these rings are really
formed, and although there seems some reason
to suppose they are produced by the gambols
of rabbits, yet it is difficult to understand how
they could contrive to form a complete circle.