Folk Calendar

Sunday 21 March

Folklore from the old calendars

Going a-palming No longer kept LondonEarly on Palm Sunday men and boys went out from London to gather willow or sallow branches with their grey, velvety buds, which stood in for palms.
The Caistor gad-whip No longer kept LincolnshireEvery Palm Sunday a man from Broughton came to the north porch of Caistor church during the first lesson and cracked a great ox-whip, the gad-whip, three times.
The palm cross in Nantswell No longer kept CornwallBefore the Reformation people went on Palm Sunday to the well of Our Lady of Nantswell at Little Conan in Cornwall, carrying a cross made of palm.
Cakes from the steeple No longer kept EnglandA Protestant dialogue of 1554, quoted by Brand and Hone, mocked the old Palm Sunday processions, saying hardly one in ten thousand knew what they meant.
Hiring an angel for Palm Sunday No longer kept LondonLondon churchwardens' accounts show parishes paying players for the Palm Sunday procession.
No palm, no hand Lore and belief EnglandAn old saying held that whoever did not have a palm in his hand on Palm Sunday would have his hand cut off.
Hail be thou our King No longer kept SurreyDives and Pauper, printed in 1496, describes the priest in the Palm Sunday procession drawing up the veil before the rood and falling to the ground with all the people, saying three times Ave Rex Noster, hail be thou our King.
Fig Sunday at Kimpton No longer kept HertfordshireAt Kempton in Hertfordshire, as the book spells Kimpton, it had long been the custom for the villagers to eat figs on Palm Sunday, which they called Fig Sunday.
A bundle of box for Palm Sunday No longer kept ShropshireDomesday Book records under Shropshire a tenant who paid for half a carucate of land with a bundle of box twigs on Palm Sunday.
Double flowers from Palm Sunday sowing Lore and belief GloucestershireMr R.
Walking the corn on Palm Sunday No longer kept EnglandAfter taking the sacrament on Palm Sunday, young men and maids went out after dinner and walked about the cornfields to bless the corn.
Saugh palms on Palm Sunday No longer kept Northern EnglandMany country people in the North believed the saugh, or sallow willow, was the true palm strewn before Christ in Jerusalem.
Palm crosses on the cottage wall No longer kept Northern EnglandChildren in the North of England carried bright palm crosses on Palm Sunday, made of coloured materials arranged in one, two or even three crosses.
Willow palms from Kepier No longer kept County DurhamAs a boy in Durham, Henderson walked with his friends to the riverbank near Kepier Hospital to gather willow catkins for Palm Sunday.
Pawne bottles at the wells No longer kept YorkshireYorkshire children kept Palm Sunday with "pawne bottles", bottles holding a little sugar.
The Hentland Palm Sunday bun No longer kept HerefordshireOn Palm Sunday the churchwardens at Hentland gave the minister and congregation a cake or bun, and in earlier days a cup of beer as well, which was eaten in church.
Flowering Sunday in South Wales Still kept South WalesIn South Wales Palm Sunday was called Flowering Sunday, when people gathered in the churchyards and laid fresh flowers on the graves of their friends and family.
Bringing in the with before Easter No longer kept LondonIn the week before Easter great shows were made in London by carrying a twisted tree, called a with, into the king's palace and the houses of the nobility and gentry.
The wooden ass in the Palm Sunday procession No longer kept EnglandIn some English parishes before the Reformation, a wooden ass on wheels carrying a wooden figure of Christ was drawn in the Palm Sunday procession while the crowd threw willow branches in its path.
The Mallwyd yew for Palm Sunday No longer kept MerionethshireChurchyard yews once stood in for palms on Palm Sunday: their boughs were blessed that day and some were burnt to make the ashes for Ash Wednesday.
Palm flowers, cakes and juniper in the City churches No longer kept LondonBefore the Reformation London parishes bought palm, box, flowers and cakes for Palm Sunday, and sometimes juniper to sweeten the church.
Ale for the Passion singers at Reading No longer kept BerkshireAt St Laurence's church in Reading the singers of the Passion on Palm Sunday were rewarded with ale and wine.

Sun 21 Mar 11:00 13:00
Morris Practice

Wantsum Morris Men practice

Old Schools Hall, Minster, Kent
- Cotswold
- The Morris Ring
Sun 21 Mar 11:00 13:00
Morris Practice

AnnieMation practice

Colchester Roman Circus, Colchester, Essex
Sun 21 Mar 12:00 14:00
Session

Tap and Spile Sunday Session

Tap and Spile, Morpeth, Northumberland
- Mixed
- Traditional
Sun 21 Mar 12:00 15:00
Session

Borough Sea Shanty and Folk Song Session

The Horseshoe Inn, London, Greater London
Sun 21 Mar 12:00 14:30
Session

Brighton & Hove Bluegrass Jam

The Brunswick, Hove, East Sussex
Sun 21 Mar 12:30 14:30
Session

Bolton Irish Music Session

Hen & Chickens, Bolton, Greater Manchester
- Tune
- Irish
Sun 21 Mar 13:00 17:00
Session

Providence Sunday Session

The Providence Inn, Plymouth, Devon
Sun 21 Mar 13:30 15:30
Session

Red Shed Free Session

The Red Shed, Wakefield, West Yorkshire
Sun 21 Mar 13:30 16:30
Session

Pennine Folk Club

Stocksmoor Village Hall, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
Sun 21 Mar 13:30 15:30
Morris Practice

Ledbury Morris practice

The Royal Oak, Much Marcle, Herefordshire
Sun 21 Mar 13:30 17:00
Dance

Les Batons

Hollingbourne Village Hall, Hollingbourne, Kent
- Bal
- Dance
Sun 21 Mar 14:00 16:00
Session

Polka Hop Traditional Session

The Polka Hop, Wakefield, West Yorkshire
- Mixed
- Traditional
Sun 21 Mar 14:00 17:00
Session

Bia Sunday Irish Session

Bia Cafe Bar, Levenshulme, Greater Manchester
- Tune
- Irish
Sun 21 Mar 14:00 16:00
Session

The Humber Sunday Acoustic Session

The Humber, Coventry, West Midlands
- Mixed
Sun 21 Mar 14:00 18:00
Session

Vinyl Bar Sunday Session

Vinyl Bar, Glasgow, City of Glasgow
- Tune
- Irish
Sun 21 Mar 14:00 16:00
Session

Holbeach Singaround

Holbeach United Services Club, Holbeach, Lincolnshire
- Song
- Singaround
Sun 21 Mar 14:00 17:00
Session

Fintry Inn Sunday Session

Fintry Inn, Fintry, Stirling
Sun 21 Mar 14:30 16:30
Session

Taunton Sunday Folktunes Session

The Lawns Social Club, Taunton, Somerset
Sun 21 Mar 14:30 16:30
Session

House of Hop Folk Music Session

House of Hop, Darlington, County Durham
- Tune
- Traditional
Sun 21 Mar 14:30 16:30
Session

Abingdon Song Session

The Punch Bowl, Abingdon, Oxfordshire
- Song
Sun 21 Mar 14:30 17:30
Session

Lucas Arms Old Time Session

The Lucas Arms, London, Greater London
- Tune
- Old Time
Sun 21 Mar 15:00 18:00
Session

Traditional Music and Song Session

Seven Stars, Falmouth, Cornwall
- Mixed
Sun 21 Mar 15:00 17:30
Session

Southampton Traditional Music Session

Raven and Bine, Southampton, Hampshire
- Tune
- Irish
Sun 21 Mar 15:00 18:00
Session

Folk at Weybourne

Weybourne Village Hall, Weybourne, Norfolk
- Mixed
Sun 21 Mar 15:00 17:00
Session

The Ship Sunday Session

The Ship, London, Greater London
- Tune
- Irish
Sun 21 Mar 15:00 18:00
Session

The Duke Inn Irish Traditional Session

The Duke Inn, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands
Sun 21 Mar 15:00 18:00
Session

Sesiwn Werin Betws-y-Coed

Pont-y-Pair Inn, Betws-y-Coed, Conwy
Sun 21 Mar 15:00 17:00
Session

MacGregor’s Oban Sunday Session

MacGregor’s at The Whisky Vaults, Oban, Argyll and Bute
Sun 21 Mar 15:30 19:00
Session

Ericht Alehouse Sunday Session

Ericht Alehouse, Blairgowrie, Perth and Kinross
Sun 21 Mar 16:00 18:00
Session

Liverpool Irish Centre Session

Liverpool Irish Centre, Liverpool, Merseyside
- Tune
- Irish
Sun 21 Mar 16:00 18:00
Session

Howl at the Moon Sunday Session

Howl at the Moon, London, Greater London
- Tune
- Irish
Sun 21 Mar 16:00 18:00
Session

Myddleton Arms Sunday Session

The Myddleton Arms, London, Greater London
- Tune
- Irish
Sun 21 Mar 16:00 18:00
Session

Fibber McGee’s Sunday Irish Session

Fibber McGee’s, Sale Moor, Greater Manchester
- Tune
- Irish
Sun 21 Mar 16:00 18:00
Session

Sandy Bell’s Sunday Afternoon Session

Sandy Bell’s, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
Sun 21 Mar 16:00 19:00
Session

Black Cat Sunday Session

The Black Cat, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
- Tune
- Irish
Sun 21 Mar 16:30 18:30
Session

Oxford Sunday Social Folk Session

The Lamb & Flag, Oxford, Oxfordshire
- Mixed
Sun 21 Mar 16:30 19:30
Session

Penny Black Sunday Session

Penny Black, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
Sun 21 Mar 17:00 20:00
Session

John Peel Centre Folk Session

The Bar, John Peel Centre, Stowmarket, Suffolk
- Mixed
Sun 21 Mar 17:00 19:00
Session

Minerva Sessions

The Minerva, Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire
Sun 21 Mar 17:00 20:00
Session

Sociograss Sunday Jam

The Bowlers Rest, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
Sun 21 Mar 17:00 19:00
Session

Slow Session, Tayport

Dickson Hall, St Margaret of Scotland Episcopal Church, Tayport, Fife
Sun 21 Mar 17:30 19:30
Session

Whiskey Tumbler Sunday Session

The Whiskey Tumbler, London, Greater London
- Tune
- Irish
Sun 21 Mar 17:30 20:30
Session

Seamus’s Sunday Session

Seamus’s, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
Sun 21 Mar 17:30 20:30
Session

Dougal’s Sunday Session

Dougal’s Pub, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
Sun 21 Mar 18:00 20:30
Session

Hadleigh Session

The King’s Head, Hadleigh, Suffolk
- Mixed
Sun 21 Mar 18:00 20:00
Session

Fox and Goose Acoustic Sundays

The Fox and Goose, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire
- Mixed
Sun 21 Mar 18:00 20:00
Session

Hootananny Sunday Session

Hootananny, Inverness, Highland
Sun 21 Mar 18:30 20:30
Session

Fox Haggerston Sunday Session

The Fox, London, Greater London
- Tune
- Irish
Sun 21 Mar 18:30 20:30
Session

Mary Madden’s Irish Session

Mary Madden’s, Enfield, Greater London
- Tune
- Irish
Sun 21 Mar 18:30 20:30
Session

Three Wishes Irish Session

The Three Wishes, London, Greater London
- Mixed
- Irish
Sun 21 Mar 18:30 20:30
Session

McCafferty’s Ilford Irish Session

McCafferty’s, Ilford, Greater London
- Tune
- Irish
Sun 21 Mar 18:30 21:00
Session

Old Time Slow Jam

The Cock Tavern, London, Greater London
Sun 21 Mar 18:45 21:15
Morris Practice

Mortimer’s Morris practice

St John’s Church Community Centre, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
Sun 21 Mar 19:00 21:00
Session

The Woodlands Singaround

The Woodlands, Harrogate, North Yorkshire
- Song
- Singaround
Sun 21 Mar 19:00 22:00
Session

Scottish Open Session

The Chemic Tavern, Leeds, West Yorkshire
- Tune
- Scottish
Sun 21 Mar 19:00 21:00
Session

Bowling Green Irish Session

Bowling Green Hotel, Chorlton, Greater Manchester
- Tune
- Irish
Sun 21 Mar 19:00 21:00
Morris Practice

Golden Star Morris practice

St Catherine’s Church Hall, Norwich, Norfolk
Sun 21 Mar 19:00 21:00
Morris Practice

Way of the Wyrd practice

Thorpe Acre Church Hall, Loughborough, Leicestershire
- Border
- The Morris Federation
Sun 21 Mar 19:00 22:30
Session

Sir Colin Campbell Sunday Session

Sir Colin Campbell, London, Greater London
- Tune
- Irish
Sun 21 Mar 19:00 21:00
Session

WB Yeats Sunday Session

The WB Yeats, London, Greater London
- Tune
- Irish
Sun 21 Mar 19:00 21:00
Session

Folk of the Round Table Sunday Open Session

SET Social, London, Greater London
Sun 21 Mar 19:00 22:00
Session

Sheffield Steady Tunes

Kelham Island Tavern, Kelham Island, South Yorkshire
Sun 21 Mar 19:00 23:00
Session

Dog & Partridge Sunday Acoustic Session

Dog & Partridge, Sheffield, South Yorkshire
- Mixed
Sun 21 Mar 19:00 22:30
Session

Severn Folk Club Floor Performers Night

Reabrook Sports & Social Club, Shrewsbury, Shropshire
- Mixed
- English
Sun 21 Mar 19:00 22:00

Folk club night

Steve Tilston Trio and Stuart Douglas at Wetherby Folk Club

Wetherby Sports Association, Wetherby, West Yorkshire
Sun 21 Mar 19:30 22:30
Session

Convivial Rabbit Folk Session

Convivial Rabbit, Dorchester, Dorset
- Mixed
- Contemporary
Sun 21 Mar 19:30 21:30
Session

Green Man Sunday Session

The Green Man, Liverpool, Merseyside
- Tune
- Irish
Sun 21 Mar 19:30 21:30
Session

Wolverton Acoustic Club

The MADCAP Theatre, Wolverton, Buckinghamshire
- Mixed
- Beginners welcome
Sun 21 Mar 19:30 21:30
Session

Hole in the Wall Irish Session

The Hole in the Wall, London, Greater London
- Tune
- Irish
Sun 21 Mar 19:30 21:30
Session

South Shields Folk Club

South Tyneside Indoor Bowls and Social Club, South Shields, Tyne and Wear
Sun 21 Mar 19:30 21:30
Session

Luddite Folk Session

King William IV, Sneinton, Nottinghamshire
- Mixed
- Traditional
Sun 21 Mar 19:30 21:30
Session

Dram Sunday Folk Session

Dram!, Glasgow, City of Glasgow
Sun 21 Mar 19:30 22:30
Session

Edinburgh Shetland Fiddlers

Athletic Arms (Diggers), Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
- Tune
- Scottish
Sun 21 Mar 19:30 22:30
Session

Cask and Barrel Southside Sunday Session

Cask and Barrel Southside, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
- Tune
Sun 21 Mar 19:30 22:30

Folk club night

Paul Armer & The Dawn Chorus at Black Fen Folk Club

NCI Centre, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
Sun 21 Mar 19:30 22:30

Folk club night

Nancy Kerr & James Fagan, Seamie O’Dowd, Steve Turner and Malin Hill at Poppy Folk Club

The Poppy & Pint, West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire
Sun 21 Mar 19:30 21:30
Session

William Wallace Session

The William Wallace, Stirling, Stirling
Sun 21 Mar 19:30 22:00
Session

Dunblane Folk Club

Victoria Halls (Lesser Hall), Dunblane, Stirling
Sun 21 Mar 19:30 22:30
Dance

Bristol French Tunes and Dancing

The Merchant of Cotham, Bristol, Bristol
- Bal
- Dance
Sun 21 Mar 19:30 22:00
Dance

York Ceilidh Club

St Aelred’s Church Hall, York, North Yorkshire
- Ceilidh
- Dance
Sun 21 Mar 19:45 22:45

Folk club night

Robb Johnson at TwickFolk

The Cabbage Patch Pub (Patchworks), Twickenham, Greater London
Sun 21 Mar 20:00 22:00
Session

Faversham Celtic Session

The Phoenix Tavern, Faversham, Kent
- Tune
- Irish
Sun 21 Mar 20:00 22:00
Session

The Monkey Folk Club

Monkseaton Arms, Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear
- Song
- Singaround
Sun 21 Mar 20:00 22:00
Session

Half Moon Irish Session

The Half Moon, Oxford, Oxfordshire
- Mixed
- Irish
Sun 21 Mar 20:00 22:00
Session

Mostly English Tunes Session

The Plum Pudding, Milton, Oxfordshire
- Tune
- English
Sun 21 Mar 20:00 22:00
Session

Informal English Session

The Bell, Ducklington, Oxfordshire
- Tune
- English
Sun 21 Mar 20:00 21:30
Morris Practice

Flag and Bone Gang practice

St John’s Church Hall, Harrogate, North Yorkshire
- The Morris Federation
- Mixed
Sun 21 Mar 20:00 22:00
Session

Old Dispensary Irish Session

The Old Dispensary, London, Greater London
- Tune
- Irish
Sun 21 Mar 20:00 22:00
Session

Gaslamp Sunday Singaround

The Gaslamp, Manchester, Greater Manchester
Sun 21 Mar 20:00 23:00
Session

Ben Nevis Sunday Session

The Ben Nevis, Glasgow, City of Glasgow
Sun 21 Mar 20:00 22:30
Session

Readifolk Singers’ Night

Community Hall, Watlington House, Reading, Berkshire
- Song
- English
Sun 21 Mar 20:00 22:30
Session

Horsham Folk Club Open Floor

The Normandy Centre, Horsham, West Sussex
- Mixed
- English
Sun 21 Mar 20:00 22:00
Session

Llanidloes Sunday Session

The Stag Inn, Llanidloes, Powys
Sun 21 Mar 20:30 22:30
Session

King William IV Session

King William IV, Black Notley, Essex
- Mixed
Sun 21 Mar 20:30 22:30
Session

The Lamb Sunday Session

The Lamb, London, Greater London
- Tune
- Irish
Sun 21 Mar 21:00 23:00
Session

West Malvern Session

West Malvern Social Club, Malvern, Worcestershire
- Tune
- Beginners welcome
Sun 21 Mar 21:00 23:00
Session

Sandy Bell’s Sunday Session

Sandy Bell’s, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
Sun 21 Mar 21:00 22:45
Session

Clachaig Inn Sunday Session

Clachaig Inn, Glencoe, Highland

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What’s on: folk sessions, morris, customs and folklore

Sunday 21 March

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