The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #68380   Message #1209239
Posted By: GUEST,Dave Roberts
17-Jun-04 - 12:51 PM
Thread Name: Middlewich Folk & Boat Festival 2004
Subject: RE: Middlewich Folk & Boat Festival 2004
Well now, here's an interesting thing. My mother was born in Moston, which is the large parish between Middlewich snd Sandbach. We now have a small, black and highly eccentric cat named Moston in honour of the place. Furthermore, the estimable Mr Norbury's father in law recently passed a poem onto me about the Dragon of Moston. Who knows, the piece might just get performed at the festival this year. Middlewich Parish Church contains the Venables screens, which feature the coats of arms etc of Thomas, the Dragon Slayer's family.
The story of the Dragon Of Moston is thought by many to be the origin of the tale of St George and the Dragon.
For your delight and edification, here's the original story, taken from the Harleian Manuscript of 1535:

'Yt chaunced a terrible dragon to remayne and make his abode in the Lordshippe of Moston in the countye of Chester, where he devoired all such persons as he layed hold on, which Thomas Venables heringe tell of, consyderinge the pittyful and dayly dystruction of the people withowte recovrie who in followinge the example of the valiante Romaynes and other worthie men, not regarding his own life, in comparison of the commiditie and safeguard of his country men, did in his owne person valiantlie and couragiouslie set on the saide dragon, where first he shotte hynm throwe with arrow and afterward with other weapons manfullie slewe him, at which instant tyme sayd dragon was devowringe a child. For which worthy and valiant act was given him the Lordshippe of Moston by the annestors of Earle of Oxford, Lord of the free there.
And alsoe ever since the said Thomas Venables and his heires, in remembrance thereof, have used to bear, as well in theire armes as in theire crest a dragon.'

Incidentally, what is not clear from the above account is that the dragon was actually living at the time in a large pond in Moston, which still exists. Maybe there are still dragons there?

As for chimps, we must leave that sort of thing to Mr Astro De Verb. Why bother with chimps when you can have dragons?