Folk Calendar

Friday 26 March

Happy birthday to Steve Tilston (77 today)

Folklore from the old calendars

Good Friday bread Lore and belief EnglandBread baked on Good Friday was kept in the house all year, in the belief that a little of it grated into water would cure almost any illness, and diarrhoea especially.
Hot cross buns Still kept England, LondonIn London and all over England, though not in Scotland, Good Friday began with the street cry of hot cross buns, and a plate of them on every breakfast table.
Washing Molly Grime No longer kept LincolnshireIn Glentham church a tomb carries a carved figure the people called Molly Grime.
The Good Friday fast in Connaught No longer kept ConnachtIn Connaught poor Catholic families kept Good Friday with a total fast, giving their children nothing from midnight to midnight, even babies at the breast.
The clerk’s Good Friday cakes No longer kept Devon, DorsetIn some parishes of Dorset and Devon the parish clerk carried a few white cakes round to every house as an Easter offering.
Creeping to the cross at Durham No longer kept County DurhamBefore the Reformation a gold crucifix kept inside the image of Our Lady of Bolton in Durham Abbey was taken out every Good Friday, and everyone in the church crept to it.
The Good Friday sermon at Paul’s Cross No longer kept LondonFor a long time a learned man chosen by the bishop preached every Good Friday afternoon at Paul's Cross, the timber pulpit on stone steps in St Paul's churchyard, on the Passion.
Paste egging at West Derby No longer kept LancashireA Liverpool correspondent wrote to Hone on Good Friday 1826 about paste egging around West Derby, kept up by the young country people.
The passion-dock pudding No longer kept Northern EnglandIn the north of England a herb pudding was a dish nobody went without on Good Friday, and its chief ingredient was the leaves of the passion-dock.
The witches’ Good Friday meeting Lore and belief LancashireGood Friday was believed in Lancashire to be the witches' great day of gathering.
Fig-sue on Good Friday No longer kept Northern EnglandMany families across the North of England ate nothing but fig-sue for dinner on Good Friday.
The Fishlake bell tolled for Good Friday No longer kept YorkshireAt Fishlake, at eight on Good Friday morning, the great church bell was tolled slowly as for a death or funeral, instead of being rung for service as on other holy days.
Charlie Marston’s Good Friday potatoes Lore and belief County Durham, YorkshireIn the North Riding it was held impious to disturb the earth on Good Friday with spade, plough or harrow.
No washing on Good Friday Lore and belief YorkshireIn Cleveland it was said that clothes washed and hung out to dry on Good Friday would come in spotted with blood.
Long Rope Day at Brighton No longer kept SussexOn Good Friday the children of Brighton's back streets brought ropes up from the beach and skipped across the width of the street.
No iron in the fire on Good Friday Lore and belief Isle of ManOn Good Friday no iron was allowed in the fire on the Isle of Man, and even the tongs were put away; the fire was stirred with a rowan stick.
Mother Shipton and Ham Hill Lore and belief SomersetMid-Somerset labourers believed a prophecy of Mother Shipton that Ham Hill would be swallowed by an earthquake at noon on Good Friday 1879, and Yeovil flooded at the same moment.
A cross bun kept all year Lore and belief EnglandSome people kept one hot cross bun from Good Friday to the next Good Friday as a charm against the many crosses of life, out of piety and fear of disease.
No washing at Offenham on Good Friday Lore and belief WorcestershireThe poorer people of Offenham would not allow any washing to be about on Good Friday, for fear of much ill luck.
The Suffolk Good Friday loaf Lore and belief SuffolkA small loaf baked on Good Friday was hung in a corner of a Suffolk cottage, where it was believed never to go mouldy and to cure diseases such as the bloody flux.
The Bowaldeth Good Friday dole No longer kept CumberlandEvery Good Friday the interest on forty pounds was given to the poor of Bowaldeth, a quarter of Torpenhow parish.
Cross buns from the Easter bread Still kept EnglandBrand thought the cross buns sold on Good Friday in his day had come down from the cakes of Easter bread given as presents at Easter in the Greek church.
The king’s cramp-rings on Good Friday No longer kept EnglandOn Good Friday the English king crept along a carpet to a crucifix laid on a cushion in his chapel and there blessed rings in a silver basin, which were given out as sure cures for cramp.
The cross on the ass’s back Lore and belief West CountryIn the west of England it was believed that the dark cross on a donkey's shoulders was a mark of honour given by Christ, and that before he rode an ass no donkey carried it.
Changing the baby’s cap on Good Friday Lore and beliefGood Friday and Easter Sunday were both held to be lucky days for changing a young child's cap.
Bees moved only on Good Friday No longer kept DevonIn Devon bees were never moved from one place to another except on Good Friday.

Fri 26 Mar 09:00 16:00
Custom

Conwy Seed Fair

Sets off from Lancaster Square, Conwy, Conwy
- Fair or wakes
Fri 26 Mar 11:15 16:30
Custom

Heptonstall Pace Egg Play

Sets off from Weavers Square, Heptonstall, West Yorkshire
- Mumming play
- Easter
Fri 26 Mar 12:00 15:00
Session

Three Kings Lunchtime Session

Three Kings Inn, Hanley Castle, Worcestershire
- Mixed
Fri 26 Mar 14:00 16:00
Session

Sandy Bell’s Friday Afternoon Session

Sandy Bell’s, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
Fri 26 Mar 17:30 20:00
Session

Irish Cultural Centre Friday Night Session

Irish Cultural Centre, London, Greater London
Fri 26 Mar 17:30 19:30
Session

Royal Oak Friday Folk Session

Royal Oak, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh

Fri 26 Mar 18:00 21:00
Session

Seamus’s Friday Session

Seamus’s, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
Fri 26 Mar 18:00 21:00
Session

Dougal’s Friday Session

Dougal’s Pub, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
Fri 26 Mar 19:00 22:00
Session

Norwich Folk Club Song Session

Christ Church Centre, Norwich, Norfolk
- Mixed
- Listeners Welcome
Fri 26 Mar 19:30 21:30
Morris Practice

Dartington Morris practice

Dartington Primary School, Totnes, Devon
Fri 26 Mar 19:30 21:30
Morris Practice

Pigsty Morris practice

Kelvin Players Hall, Bristol, Bristol
Fri 26 Mar 19:30 21:00
Morris Practice

Leek Morris practice

Westwood First School, Leek, Staffordshire
Fri 26 Mar 19:30 21:30
Morris Practice

Bradninch Millers Morris practice

Bradninch Youth Centre West End Hall, Bradninch, Devon

Maintained
Fri 26 Mar 19:30 22:30

Folk club night

Jack Hogsden at Everyman Folk Club

The Riverside Centre, Stratford St Andrew, Suffolk
Fri 26 Mar 19:30 21:30
Session

Rhyl Folk Club Singers’ Night

Ffordd Las Community Centre, Rhyl, Denbighshire
- Mixed
Fri 26 Mar 19:30 21:30
Morris Practice

Furness Morris practice

Swarthmoor Reading Room, Swarthmoor, Cumbria
Fri 26 Mar 19:30 21:30
Session

Ballinluig Inn Session

The Ballinluig Inn, Ballinluig, Perth and Kinross
Fri 26 Mar 19:30 22:30
Dance

The Attic Ceilidh Club

The Attic, Leeds, West Yorkshire
- Ceilidh
- Dance
Fri 26 Mar 19:40 22:30
Session

Second Time Around Folk Club

Royal British Legion Social Club (Haig House), Beeston, Nottinghamshire
Fri 26 Mar 19:45 21:45
Session

Kelso Folk & Live Music Club Singers’ Night

Cross Keys Hotel (Oak Room), Kelso, Scottish Borders
- Mixed
- Scottish
Fri 26 Mar 20:00 22:00
Session

Bay Folk Club

The Bay Hotel, Robin Hood's Bay, North Yorkshire
- Mixed
Fri 26 Mar 20:00 22:00
Session

An Cruiscin Lan Irish Session

The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear
- Tune
- Irish
Fri 26 Mar 20:00 22:00
Session

Ye Olde Cross Friday Session

Ye Olde Cross Inn, Ryton, Tyne and Wear
- Mixed
Fri 26 Mar 20:00 22:00
Session

Fibber McGee’s Irish Session

Fibber McGee’s, Sale Moor, Greater Manchester
- Tune
- Irish
Fri 26 Mar 20:00 22:00
Session

Royal Blenheim Fourth Friday Session

The Royal Blenheim, Oxford, Oxfordshire
- Mixed
Fri 26 Mar 20:00 22:00
Session

The Oxford Scottish Session

The White Hart, Wolvercote, Oxfordshire
- Tune
- Scottish
Fri 26 Mar 20:00 22:00
Morris Practice

Greensleeves Morris Men practice

South Wimbledon Community Centre, London, Greater London
- Cotswold
- The Morris Ring
Fri 26 Mar 20:00 22:00
Morris Practice

Long Man Morris practice

Willingdon Church Hall, Willingdon, East Sussex
Fri 26 Mar 20:00 22:00
Morris Practice

Hook Eagle Morris practice

Elizabeth Hall, Hook, Hampshire
- Border
Fri 26 Mar 20:00 22:00
Morris Practice

Jockey Morris practice

Highgate Baptist Church, Birmingham, West Midlands
- The Morris Ring
Fri 26 Mar 20:00 21:30
Morris Practice

Ely and Littleport Riot practice

Centre E, Ely, Cambridgeshire
Fri 26 Mar 20:00 22:00
Session

New Crystal Folk Club

Hill and Cakemore Liberal Club, Halesowen, West Midlands
- Song
- Listeners Welcome
Fri 26 Mar 20:00 22:00
Session

Bacca Pipes Singers Night

Riddlesden Institute, Keighley, West Yorkshire
- Song
- English
Fri 26 Mar 20:00 22:30
Session

Northwich Folk Club Singers’ Night

The Royal British Legion (Social) Club, Davenham, Cheshire
- Mixed
- English
Fri 26 Mar 20:00 23:00
Session

Exeter Folk Club Open Club Night

Victoria Park Tennis Club, Exeter, Devon
- Song
- English
Fri 26 Mar 20:00 22:15
Dance

Cambridge Contra Dance

St Andrew’s Hall, Chesterton, Cambridgeshire
- Contra
- Dance
Fri 26 Mar 20:15 22:15
Session

Dragon Folk Club

Bridge Inn, Shortwood, Gloucestershire
Fri 26 Mar 20:15 22:15
Session

Oxford Folk Club Open Night

Marston Royal British Legion, Oxford, Oxfordshire
- Mixed
Fri 26 Mar 20:30 22:30
Session

Fox at Monkwood Green Session

The Fox, Monkwood Green, Worcestershire
- Mixed
Fri 26 Mar 21:00 23:00
Session

South London Irish Centre Friday Session

South London Irish Association Club, London, Greater London
- Tune
- Irish
Fri 26 Mar 21:00 23:00
Session

Church Inn Folk and Acoustic Club

Church Inn, Prestwich, Greater Manchester
Fri 26 Mar 21:00 23:30
Session

Fagan’s Friday Session

Fagan’s, Sheffield, South Yorkshire
- Mixed
- Irish
Fri 26 Mar 21:00 23:00
Session

Malones Friday Trad Session

Malones Irish Bar, Glasgow, City of Glasgow
Fri 26 Mar 21:00 23:00
Session

Sandy Bell’s Friday Session

Sandy Bell’s, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh

Saturday 27 March

Born on this day: Harry Cox (1885)

Folklore from the old calendars

Watching the Easter sepulchre No longer kept EnglandBefore the Reformation churches set up Easter sepulchres showing the burial of Christ, and crowds came to see them.
An Easter egg, good dame No longer kept Cheshire, Cumberland, WestmorlandIn Cheshire children went round the village begging eggs for their Easter dinner, singing a short song to the farmer's wife that asked for an egg, bacon, cheese, an apple or anything that would make them merry.
We fasted in the light No longer kept DorsetIn Dorset during the eighteenth century boys went in procession on Easter Eve carrying rough torches and a small black flag.
Yew for the house on Easter Eve No longer kept EnglandOn Easter Eve the box that had decked the house since Candlemas was taken down and yew put up in its place.
Out with the Lent at midnight No longer kept IrelandOn the night of Holy Saturday, cottagers in the middle districts of Ireland put a fat hen and a piece of bacon in the pot, but no one dared taste it before the cock crew.
The Paschal taper at Reading and Westminster No longer kept Berkshire, LondonOn Easter Eve the medieval church lit a huge Paschal taper, and a font taper beside it.
Fives and stool-ball from Easter Eve No longer kept WalesWelsh holiday ball games began on Easter Eve and started again once Easter Day was over.

Sat 27 Mar 09:00 19:00
Custom

Britannia Coconut Dancers

Old Travellers Rest, Bacup, Lancashire
Sat 27 Mar 13:00 15:00
Session

Traditional Celtic Session

Globe Inn, Looe, Cornwall

Maintained
Sat 27 Mar 14:00 16:00

Session

Nags Head Sessions

The Nags Head, Scalby, North Yorkshire
Sat 27 Mar 14:00 16:00
Session

Howl at the Moon Saturday Session

Howl at the Moon, London, Greater London
- Tune
- Irish
Sat 27 Mar 14:00 18:00
Session

Fagan’s Saturday Afternoon Session

Fagan’s, Sheffield, South Yorkshire
- Mixed
- Beginners welcome
Sat 27 Mar 14:00 16:00
Session

Sandy Bell’s Saturday Afternoon Session

Sandy Bell’s, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
Sat 27 Mar 15:00 17:00
Session

Wandering Palate Irish Folk Jam

Wandering Palate, Eccles, Greater Manchester
Sat 27 Mar 15:00 18:00
Session

Seamus’s Saturday Session

Seamus’s, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
Sat 27 Mar 15:00 18:00
Session

Dougal’s Saturday Session

Dougal’s Pub, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
Sat 27 Mar 16:00 18:00
Session

Fox Haggerston Saturday Session

The Fox, London, Greater London
- Tune
- Irish
Sat 27 Mar 19:00 21:00
Session

White Hart Singaround

The White Hart, Mickleby, North Yorkshire
- Mixed
- Singaround
Sat 27 Mar 19:30 22:00
Session

Folk at the Fold

The Fold, New House Farm, Bransford, Worcestershire
- Mixed
Sat 27 Mar 20:00 23:00
Session

Sir Colin Campbell Saturday Session

Sir Colin Campbell, London, Greater London
- Tune
- Irish
Sat 27 Mar 20:00 22:00
Session

George and Dragon Acton Session

George and Dragon, London, Greater London
Sat 27 Mar 20:00 22:00
Session

Sesiwn Rowen

Tŷ Gwyn, Rowen, Conwy
Sat 27 Mar 20:30 23:30
Session

Fagan’s Saturday Evening Session

Fagan’s, Sheffield, South Yorkshire
- Mixed
Sat 27 Mar 21:00 23:00
Session

Hanover Arms Irish Session

The Hanover Arms, London, Greater London
- Tune
- Irish
Sat 27 Mar 21:00 23:00
Session

Sandy Bell’s Saturday Session

Sandy Bell’s, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
Sat 27 Mar 21:30 23:30
Session

Royal Oak Saturday Folk Session

Royal Oak, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh

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

Friday 26 March

Saturday 27 March

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