Theories Behind the Nursery Rhyme Mary, Mary Quite Contrary

How does your garden grow?

With silver bells and cockleshells

And pretty Maids all in a row.

This well known nursery rhyme is one that I used to chant to my sister Mary when we were kids. Little did I know then, this nursery rhyme has some seriously twisted meaning behind it. Now that I am an adult and have a passion for reading and writing as well as a passion for history, I have become fascinated by the origins of these rhymes.

The first that I should mention about this nursery rhyme is that the alternative lyrics found in Frances Hodgson Burnett's 'The secret garden' are as follows,

Mistress Mary, quite contrary

How does your garden grow?

With silver bells and cockleshells

And marigolds all in a row.

Those lyrics are not much different, but worth mentioning. The majority of nursery rhymes have numerous theories about why they originated. Mary, Mary is no different.

The first of these theories involves Mary I of Scotland. The first line "how does your garden grow" possibly referring to the length of her reign. "Silver bells" would be a reference to the church bells of the catholic cathedrals. "Cockleshells" could be an underlying statement that her husband was unfaithful and "pretty maids" would be a line about the death of her babies.

Another of these theories is about Mary I of England. Before moving on I want to put in a bit of insight about Mary I of England, she was Mary Tudor the daughter of King Henry the XIII, also known as "Bloody Mary". Mary Tudor was well known for her obsessive mission to return England to its Catholic religion.

The theory of Mary Tudor is much like Mary I of Scotland's. Mary Tudor could not produce an heir for her husband Phillip II of Spain; therefore we have "how does your garden grow." Also because her husband rarely had anything to do with her "cockleshells" would have meaning. Pretty maids all in a row could possibly refer to two different things, one being the miscarriages of many children, and the other where "rows" would refer to her executions of Protestants.

The most popular theory about Mary, Mary quite contrary is the one that describes the "how does your garden grow" as the growing size of the graveyards. The graveyards were growing so rapidly because there were Protestants who were executed because they were unwilling to give up their faith and practice as Catholic.

"Silver Bells and Cockleshells" refer to torture devices. Silver Bells were thumbscrews, which caused the thumb to be smashed between two flat surfaces by a screw being tightened up. Cockleshells were a device for torturing that was placed on the genitals. Then of course the pretty maids would refer to the guillotine type machine called "the maiden." Beheadings and being burned at the stake were very popular during the reign of Mary Tudor.It's very interesting to see the history of where our little nursery rhymes came from. Even if they are a bit dark, they are more a part of our history than just something to entertain our children.