of the
unequal strains on the fabric, solemnly warned those concerned not to be
stingy with cement if they wished to save the tower. The advice was taken,
and after the removal of the crushed and rotten stones and many other
repairs the tower and spire were left in a state of greatly increased
security. The framework supporting the bells dated from about 1450, and as
there were no louvres to the windows for a long time, rain and snow must
have been blown in upon the woodwork, for it was found to be entirely
rotten, and it was astonishing that the timbers had not given way under
the great weight of the bells.

[Illustration: THE OLD FIRE-ENGINE AT PICKERING.]

It is an old custom that is still preserved to ring the biggest, or the
"pancake" bell, as it is often called, at eleven in the morning on Shrove
Tuesday. At that welcome sound the children are allowed to leave school
for the day, the shops are closed, and a general holiday is observed in
the town. The work bell is rung every morning from 5.55 to 6.0, and from
6.0 to 6.5 every evening from March to November, and the bells are rung
backwards to call out the fire brigade. The curious little fire-engine
upon which the town used to rely is still preserved in a shed in
Willowgate. It is one of those primitive little contrivances standing on
very small solid wheels, suggesting those of a child's toy horse.

Until the restoration of the church the pulpit was of the two-decker type,
the clerk's desk being under the pulpit, with the reading-desk at the
side. The inlaid sounding-board which was taken out of the church at the
restoration is now preserved in the vicarage. It was in these days, namely
about thirty years ago, that the sexton and his deputy used to visit the
public-houses during church time in order to fetch out those who were
wasting the precious hours. At Christmas time the waits still enliven the
early hours with their welcomes to each individual member of every family.
The two men, whose names are Beavers and Stockdale, carry a concertina and
greet the household after this well-known fashion, "Drawing to -----
o'clock and a fine frosty morning. Good morrow morning, Mr -----. Good
morrow morning, Mrs -----," and so through the entire family. This process
commences a week before Christmas and is continued until a week
afterwards. In the villages the custom of "lucky birds" still survives.
The boy who first reaches any house on Christmas morning is called a
"