What was ridden to Banbury Cross?

What is the origin of’ride a cock-horse to Banbury Cross’?

If we are to find the origin of ‘ride a cock-horse to Banbury Cross’ it will be helpful to look at the nursery rhyme that the line comes from. The best known version of that rhyme is: Ride a cock-horse to Banbury Cross, To see a fine lady upon [or ‘ride on’] a white horse; Rings on her fingers and bells on her toes,

Who was the Fine Lady of Banbury?

Despite not being present or significantly different in many early versions, the fine lady has been associated with Queen Elizabeth I, Lady Godiva, and Celia Fiennes, whose brother was William Fiennes, 3rd Viscount Saye and Sele (c. 1641-1698) of Broughton Castle, Banbury, on the grounds that the line should be ‘To see a Fiennes lady’.

What rhymes with ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross?

The best known version of that rhyme is: Ride a cock-horse to Banbury Cross, To see a fine lady upon [or ‘ride on’] a white horse; Rings on her fingers and bells on her toes,

What is the meaning of Banbury Cross?

The second part is the easiest – Banbury Cross is a cross in the English town of Banbury – that could hardly be simpler. There were several medieval crosses in Banbury until 1600 when they were demolished by Puritans. The present Banbury Cross was erected in 1859, after the rhyme was already well-known.

What is the origin of the word’cock horse’?

From the late 16th century, ‘cock-horse’ was also used as the name of a high-spirited stallion, although all of the early citations of the word in print refer to children and their games – for example, this piece from Thomas Elyot’s Image of Gouernance, 1541: The dotynge pleasure to se my litell sonne ryde on a cokhorse.

Why do we say ‘ride a cock-horse’?

As the Opies note, ‘to ride a cock-horse’ was a phrase used to refer to riding a toy horse, or an adult’s knee, and this sense of the phrase has been found as early as 1540. So the rhyme was probably something to be sung while a parent played with their child, much like ‘this little piggy went to market’.

What is Banbury famous for?

Banbury is famous for the nursery rhyme about a fine lady on a white horse. It first appeared in print in the mid 18th century. The fine lady on a white horse was probably Celia Fiennes. (Her family owned Broughton Castle). Celia was a famous horsewoman and travel writer. Rings are a symbol of authority and bells of wealth.

Who was the fine lady on a white horse?

At the end of the century, Celia Fiennes wrote: ‘Banbury is a pretty little town the streets are broad and well-paved’. Banbury is famous for the nursery rhyme about a fine lady on a white horse. It first appeared in print in the mid 18th century. The fine lady on a white horse was probably Celia Fiennes. (Her family owned Broughton Castle).

What does ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross mean?

“Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross” is an English language nursery rhyme connected with the English town Banbury.

Why is Banbury Cross called a cock horse?

The present Banbury Cross was erected in 1859, after the rhyme was already well-known. A ‘cock-horse’ is the name of a child’s toy hobby horse, or a stick representing one, or an adult’s foot or knee used to jog a child up and down as a pretend horse ride.

What is the symbolism of the horse in Christianity?

White Horse symbolism may be the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of Horse symbolism in Christianity. The Biblical reference to the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse may also come to mind. In Revelation, Horse symbolism is used to convey the four signs of the coming rapture that signals the return of Christ.

How old is the Banbury Cross?

Similarly, the main Banbury Cross was taken down around 1600, but other crosses were present in the town and, as is often the case, the place may have retained the name, so it is difficult to argue for the antiquity of the rhyme from this fact.

What is a’cock-horse’?

A ‘cock-horse’ is the name of a child’s toy hobby horse, or a stick representing one, or an adult’s foot or knee used to jog a child up and down as a pretend horse ride. From the late 16th century, ‘cock-horse’ was also used as the name of a high-spirited stallion, although all of the early citations of the word in print refer to children and th…

What does Cockhorse mean?

What does cockhorse mean? Something used as a toy horse, such as the knee of an adult or a rocking horse. (noun)

Where was the horse fair in Banbury?

I/ii/1–6; Beesley, Hist. Banbury, 251 n., 275–6, 425. In 1825 it was at the southern end of Castle Street and in the late 19th century at the southern end of Horse Fair: Herbert, Shoemaker’s Window, 91 and map. 223.

What is the name of the white winged horse?

In Scottish folklore, the kelpie or each uisge, a deadly supernatural water demon in the shape of a horse, is sometimes described as white, though other stories say it is black. In Greek mythology, the white winged horse Pegasus was the son of Poseidon and the gorgon Medusa.

Did the first rider on the White Horse have wings?

Cherubs have wings; And He rode upon a cherub, and flew; he flew upon the wings of the wind (Ps 18:10, also 2 Sam. 22:11) So the first rider on the white horse conquers at the beginning of the tribulation as a judgment , he is not Jesus.

What is the name of the White Horse in Revelation 19?

Revelation 19:11 “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war.” Here John observes another white horse with its rider, Jesus, who goes by the name “Faithful and True” in this passage.

Did John see a rider on a white horse?

Now, in Rev. 19:11, he sees heaven opened once again and views the climax of these events. In a similar fashion, John has seen a rider on a white horse in Rev. 6:2, and he sees a rider again now. But they are very different riders.

What is your horse Spirit Animal meaning and meaning?

The horse spirit animals emanates so much power that you can feel her power of intention. Horse is also a magnificent symbol of freedom, she was born to roam the lands and run wild and free.

What does a black and white horse symbolize?

But, the combination of white and black horse is a symbol of both life and death. As you can see, this is the dark side of the horse symbolism. But, there are also some positive Biblical meanings related to this animal.

What is a cock-horse?

A ‘cock-horse’ is the name of a child’s toy hobby horse, or a stick representing one, or an adult’s foot or knee used to jog a child up and down as a pretend horse ride.

What is the history of Banbury?

Banbury started as a village called Banna’s burh. (Burh is a Saxon word. It means a fortress or fortified settlement in time it became corrupted to ‘bury’). In the 12th century, the Bishops of Lincoln owned the village of Banbury. One of the bishops built a castle at Banbury early in the 12th century and he turned Banbury into a town.

What are some interesting historical events in Banbury?

In 1859 a cross was erected to replace one destroyed by Puritans in 1602. (The Puritans disapproved of crosses). Meanwhile in 1850 the railway reached Banbury. Swimming baths opened in 1869 and a volunteer fire brigade was formed in Banbury in 1870. Horton Infirmary opened in 1872.

What is the horse fair?

The Horse Fair depicts a Parisian horse market that Bonheur visited twice every week for about a year and a half. The fair appears as a whirling storm of activity, viewed from just far enough away to avoid getting trampled.

What was Banbury like in the past?

In the mid-19th century, Banbury was described as ’large and well built’. It was, the writer said: ‘second to Oxford in beauty’. The church was ‘large and handsome’. It was famous for cakes and cheese. A corn exchange where grain was bought and sold was erected in 1857. It is now the entrance of the Castle Quay Shopping Centre.