> what about sleaving?

Sorry, Jess, no can help (apart from a scurrilous story in a novel called Merlin by Robert Nye)

> why did they make those corn dollies?

I’m sorry to say I cannot remember properly, Bel ~ I once read summat about a pre-Christian mystical foundation to the practice but cannot remember any detail at all. I’m sure you’re right – it must have had more significance than merely decorative.

I went to a local National Trust property a few weeks back btw, called Llanerchaeron: it has a fabulous set of traditional agricultural buildings from the Victorian high days of agriculture which includes a particularly impressive set of staddle stones. A feature I had not previously seen elsewhere was the difference of those plainly designed as rat-proof (hence for grain ricks) and others which would have allowed rodent access so must have been to simply keep the foot of haystacks out of the wet.

You can see a brief tour of the Nash house in the first link (though not anything of the farmstead and estate buildings).

http:////www.worldwidewales.tv/index2.php?mid=286

http:////www.nationaltrust.org.uk/scripts/nthandbook.dll?ACTION=PROPERTY&PROPERTYID=219