unique in having at one time had a curate whose wife kept a
public house adjoining the church. Although this will scarcely be
believed, we have a detailed account of the matter in a little book
published in 1806.

The clergyman, whose name was Carter, had to subsist on the slender
salary of L20 a year and a few surplice fees. This would not have
allowed any margin for luxuries in the case of a bachelor; but this poor
man was married, and he had thirteen children. He was a keen fisherman,
and his angling in the moorland streams produced a plentiful supply of
fish--in fact, more than his family could consume. But this, even though
he often exchanged part of his catches with neighbours, was not
sufficient to keep the wolf from the door, and drastic measures had to
be taken. The parish was large, and, as many of the people were obliged
to come 'from ten to fifteen miles' to church, it seemed possible that
some profit might be made by serving refreshments to the parishioners.
Mrs. Carter superintended this department, and it seems that the meals
between the services soon became popular. But the story of 'a
parson-publican' was soon conveyed to the Archdeacon of the diocese, who
at the next visitation endeavoured to find out the truth of the matter.
Mr. Carter explained the circumstances, and showed that, far from being
a source of disorder, his wife's public-house was an influence for good.
'I take down my violin,' he continued, 'and play them a few tunes, which
gives me an opportunity of seeing that they get no more liquor than
necessary for refreshment; and if the young people propose a dance, I
seldom answer in the negative; nevertheless, when I announce time for
return, they are ever ready to obey my commands.' The Archdeacon appears
to have been a broad-minded man, for he did not reprimand Mr. Carter at
all; and as there seems to have been no mention of an increased stipend,
the parson-publican must have continued this strange anomaly.

It is difficult to say whether the public-house was conducted in the
crypt beneath the church or not. I am inclined to think that Mrs.
Carter's inn was the present 'Blacksmith's Arms,' but there is distinct
evidence for stating that cock-fighting used to take place secretly in
the crypt. The writings of the Venerable Bede give a special interest to
Lastingham, for he tells us how King Oidilward requested Bishop Cedd to
build a monastery there. The Saxon buildings that appeared at that t