Counterfeit Legends?
(reprinted from Leaflets of Local Lore by Urbs Camboritum
IT is curious how legends get duplicated and localised. Wherever two churches are found side by side in the same churchyard, the occurrence is almost sure to be accounted for by the legend that they were built by two sisters- one acting out of jealousy or in opposition to the other. To the writer's certain knowledge, this story which is told a Swaffham in Cambridgeshire is also told of at least half a dozen other places, and in regard to none of these can it be said that the story if not true is ben trovato or "well invented."
In the Illustrated Church News (March 31st, 1894) the following legend is related in the most matter-of-fact manner : - " A Villager of Swaffham Prior, in very humble circumstances, a tinker by trade, dreamt on three successive nights that if he went up to London, to a place indicated in the dream, he would hear something greatly to his advantage. The poor man, after mentioning the matter to his wife and neighbour, who treated it with scorn, resolved to act upon the mysterious directions he had received.
Accordingly he started out on his journey, and arrived at his destination at the end of three days, when he took up his stand on London Bridge (the place shown to him in the dream). Here he waited the whole of one day, but nothing whatever happened to him; a second day of watching resulted with no more satisfaction; but on the afternoon of the third day a City gentleman, who was in the habit of frequently passing over the bridge, and who had noticed this rough countryman standing on the same spot every day, approached him and said, "My good man, how is it that I see you here every day with nothing to do. Are you out of employment, or what is it ? "
After some hesitation the man, prompted by the kindly interest shown in him, told the gentleman about his dream, but did not tell him what part of the country he came from. Regarding the man as the victim of some local superstition he advised him not to take any notice of such nonsense, and added, "Why only the other night I dreamt that if I went down to a certain village in the country called Swaffham Prior, and dug under a certain tree in a certain field I should find much treasure there ; but it is not likely that I took any notice of it. No, my good man, you go back and attend to your business, and don't bother yourself about these things."
After holding a further conversation with the gentleman, and obtaining from him a clearer direction as to the exact place referred to in the dream, the man replied, "All rig' guvnor, I'll take your advice." The narrative goes on to say that "the man walked back to Swaffham Prior and under the tree in question, and found buried there two large chests of gold. He became thereby a rich man, and sometime afterwards restored the chancel of Swaffham Prior Church." ".