Toddington
Shrove Tuesday
Places > Toddington > Customs and Folklore
The 'Old Woman' of Conger Hill
Every Shrove Tuesday the 'pancake bell' was rung in the church to remind the women to make their pancakes. School children would then run to Conger Hill, put their ears to the ground and listen to the sizzling sound of the 'old woman' frying her pancakes. An obvious explanation would be that the noise they could hear was merely the vibration on the ground caused by the bell ringing.
Further Reading:
- A stroll through old Toddington by John Viner (1997)
- Tales of old Bedfordshire by A. Gray (Countryside Books, 1991)
Page last updated: 15th May 2007
