d the fact that it could be reached from the north side without going
into the church would make the desecration seem a far less scandalous
proceeding than it sounds.

It has also been supposed that Mr Carter, curate-in-charge of Lastingham
at a time prior to 1806, allowed his wife to keep a public-house in the
crypt. There is only one authentic account[1] of this parson-publican as
far as I have been able to discover and although it makes no mention of
the crypt it states that Mr Carter used to take _down_ his violin to play
the people a few tunes. If this did not indicate the crypt it may have
meant that he took his violin down from the vicarage to the inn, which may
have been the "Blacksmith's Arms" that adjoins the churchyard on the east
side. The parlour is certainly a much more cheerful place for refreshment
than the dark and chilly crypt, and it is interesting to find that the
benches in the inn are composed of panelling which I am told was formerly
in the church.

[Footnote 1: Anonymous booklet entitled "Anecdotes and Manners of a few
Ancient and Modern oddities, etc." Published at York, 1806.]

As the whole idea of the parson's wife conducting a public-house is
somewhat preposterous, although we have already been told that the clergy
at that time were on the whole "a despert reckless lot," it is interesting
to read the original account. "The Rev. Mr Carter, when curate of
Lastingham," it says, "had a very large family, with only a small income
to support them, and therefore often had recourse to many innocent
alternatives to augment it; and as the best of men have their enemies--too
often more than the worst, he was represented to the Archdeacon by an
invidious neighbour, as a very disorderly character, particularly by
keeping a public-house, with the consequences resulting from it. The
Archdeacon was a very humane, worthy, good man who had imbibed the
principles, not only of a parson, but of a Divine, and therefore treated
such calumniating insinuations against his subordinate brethren, with that
contempt which would ultimately accrue to the satisfaction and advantage
to such as listen to a set of sycophantic tattlers. ...therefore at the
ensuing visitation, when the business of the day was over, he in a very
delicate and candid manner, interrogated Mr C. as to his means of
supporting so numerous a family ... which was answered as related to me by
one well acquainted with the parties, in nearly the following