As an alternative to bonfires, in Lancashire, candles were carried between 11 pm and midnight on Halloween in a procession up the hills in a custom known as 'lating the witches'. If the candles continuously burnt then the witches powers would not affect the candle holder as it was firmly believed in Lancashire that the witches assembled on this night at their general rendezvous in the Forest of Pendle which relates to the 17th century Pendle witches. East of Pendle, candles were lit in every window an hour before midnight; if the candle burnt out before midnight, it was believed evil would follow. According to Frazer (1935) at Longridge Fell, during the early part of the 19th century, parties went from house to house in the evening collecting candles,one for each inmate, and offering their services to late or leet the witches. Hampson (1841) notes that the words 'lating' and 'leeting' are derived from the Saxon word 'leoht' meaning light.