Folk Customs

Rev. George Robert Oakley (1864-1932) was born in Dublin but his family moved to Yorkshire when he was an infant.

He was educated at Sheffield Royal Grammar School and St. Aidan’s Theological College, Birkinhead. When the church of St. Andrew’s, Dearnley was completed in 1895 he became the first vicar of that church.

During this time he collected together the myths and legends of the local area for this book.

In 1923 he became the Vicar of St. Mary the Virgin, Illingworth returning over the border into Yorkshire until his death.

His stories in this volume are

• The Legend of Stubley Hall
• The Legend of Clegg Hall
• The Legend of Belfield Hall
• The Legend of Dearnley
• The Legend of Butterworth Hall
• The Legend of Rochdale Castle
• The Legend of Castleton
• The Legend of Buckley Hall
• The Legend of Tunshill
• The Legend of Ashworth Chapel
• The Legend of Littleborough
• The Legend of the Monstone
• The Legend of Schofield Hall
• The Legend of Healey Dell
• The Legend of the Calderbrook Torque
• The Legend of the Baum Rabbit
• The Legend of Royton Hall
• The Legend of Brown Wardle
• The Legend of Stubbylee