Customs

Tuesday 9 February

Shrovetide

Tue 9 Feb 14:00 22:00
Custom, day 1 of 2

Ashbourne Royal Shrovetide Football

Sets off from Shaw Croft car park, Ashbourne, Derbyshire
Tue 9 Feb 14:00 17:00
Custom

Alnwick Shrovetide Football

Alnwick Castle barbican, Alnwick, Northumberland
Tue 9 Feb from 16:30
Custom

The Great St Davids Pancake Race

The Bishops, St Davids, Pembrokeshire
- Custom game
- Shrovetide

Wednesday 10 February

Folklore from the old calendars

The Oxford Penny No longer kept OxfordshireOn St Scholastica's Day in the reign of Edward III a battle broke out between the students of Oxford and the townsmen and lasted three days.
Jack-a-Lent No longer kept EnglandOn Ash Wednesday, the Shrovetide cocks being done with, a thin scarecrow of a puppet called a Jack-a-Lent was set up and pelted with sticks.
The King’s Cock Crower No longer kept LondonThrough Lent an officer of the royal household called the King's Cock Crower used to crow the hours each night within the palace instead of calling them like a watchman, in memory of the cock that called St Peter to repentance.
Staying Away from the Commination Lore and belief EnglandOn Ash Wednesday the Church of England reads the Commination, the curses against impenitent sinners, with the people answering Amen to each.
Wind on Ash Wednesday Lore and belief NorfolkIt was a proverb in Norfolk that wherever the wind lay on Ash Wednesday, there it would stay for the whole of Lent.
Ashes that outlived the Reformation Still kept EnglandGiving ashes on Ash Wednesday was said to be almost the only Catholic custom to survive the Reformation under Henry VIII.
Pancakes and grey peas at Leeds Lore and belief YorkshireAt Leeds it was said that anyone who ate pancakes on Shrove Tuesday and grey peas on Ash Wednesday would have money in their pocket all the year.
Jack o’ Lent at Polperro No longer kept CornwallAt the start of Lent, Polperro people carried a straw figure in old clothes round the village and then burnt it, shot at it or otherwise disposed of it.
St Scholastica’s Day pennies at Oxford No longer kept OxfordshireOn St Scholastica's Day the Mayor of Oxford and sixty-two townsmen went to St Mary's Church and each paid a penny in submission to the University.
Herring first, saltfish last No longer kept EnglandThe thrifty farmer ate his herring early in Lent and kept the saltfish for last, because saltfish still ate well once Lent was over.
Clacking at doors on Ash Wednesday No longer kept EnglandOn Ash Wednesday boys went about clacking at doors, begging eggs or scraps of bacon to make a feast among themselves.
Rods for Lent at St Mary-at-Hill No longer kept LondonBefore the Reformation the London parish of St Mary-at-Hill bought rods for the penitential discipline of Lent.
Black clothes for Lent No longer kept WalesSome old people in Wales used to wear black clothes all through Lent as a sign of the season.

Wed 10 Feb Ashbourne Royal Shrovetide Football day 2 of 2 · 14:00–22:00

Friday 12 February

Saturday 13 February

Sunday 14 February

Valentine's Day

Saturday 20 February Snow Moon

Sunday 21 February

Monday 22 February

Thursday 25 February

Friday 26 February

Saturday 27 February

Sat 27 Feb All day
Custom

Aberystwyth St David’s Day Parade (Parêd Gŵyl Dewi)

Sets off from Town Clock, Great Darkgate Street, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion
- Procession
- St David's Day
Sat 27 Feb All day
Custom

St Davids Day Dragon Parade, St Davids

Oriel y Parc, St Davids, Pembrokeshire
- Procession
- St David's Day

Sat 27 Feb from 11:00
Custom

Carmarthen St David’s Day Parade

St Peter’s Church, Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire
- Procession
- St David's Day

Monday 1 March

St David's Day

Folklore from the old calendars

St David's Day in the old calendars 11 entriesWearing the leek, Hanging Taffy, The Ancient Britons’ procession, Swig Day at Jesus College, Oats and barley in the clay, The serjeant-porter’s leek, The crows begin to search, The daffodil for St David, Gingerbread taffies on a goat, The leek and the field of Poictiers, Round the leek-bed on St David’s Eve
A peck of March dust Lore and belief EnglandMarch was expected to be a dry, blustery month, and its dust was welcomed because dry weather was wanted for sowing and planting.
Wetting the block No longer kept Berkshire, HampshireThe first Monday in March was when country shoemakers stopped working by candlelight, and they used to meet that evening to wet the block.
Leeks in Lide Lore and belief West CountryIn the West Country March was called Lide, and eating leeks that month was thought to keep the doctor away all year.
Whuppity Scoorie at Lanark Still kept LanarkshireWhen the Lanark town bell began its six months of nightly ringing in March, the young folk gathered at the cross for Whuppity Scoorie.
Blind Days in Devon Lore and belief DevonOld farmers in one Devon parish called the first three days of March the Blind Days, and no farmer would sow any seed on them.

Mon 1 Mar All day
Custom

St David’s Day Pilgrimage and Blessing of the City, St Davids

Sets off from Cross Square, St Davids, Pembrokeshire
Mon 1 Mar All day
Custom

Wrexham St David’s Day Parade

Guildhall, Wrexham, Wrexham
- Procession
- St David's Day
Mon 1 Mar from 12:00
Custom

St David’s Day Parade, Cardiff

Cardiff City Hall, Cardiff, Cardiff
- Procession
- St David's Day
Mon 1 Mar from 18:00
Custom

Lanark Whuppity Scoorie

St Nicholas Parish Church, Lanark, South Lanarkshire

Customs

Tuesday 9 February

Ashbourne Royal Shrovetide Football

Alnwick Shrovetide Football

The Great St Davids Pancake Race

Wednesday 10 February

Friday 12 February

Saturday 13 February

Sunday 14 February

Saturday 20 February Snow Moon

Sunday 21 February

Monday 22 February

Thursday 25 February

Friday 26 February

Saturday 27 February

Aberystwyth St David’s Day Parade (Parêd Gŵyl Dewi)

St Davids Day Dragon Parade, St Davids

Carmarthen St David’s Day Parade

Monday 1 March

St David’s Day Pilgrimage and Blessing of the City, St Davids

Wrexham St David’s Day Parade

St David’s Day Parade, Cardiff

Lanark Whuppity Scoorie

Tuesday 2 March

Wednesday 3 March

Friday 5 March

Sunday 7 March

Monday 8 March New moon

Image credits

Tuesday 9 February

Wednesday 10 February

Friday 12 February

Saturday 13 February

Sunday 14 February

Saturday 20 February🌕 Snow Moon

Sunday 21 February

Monday 22 February

Thursday 25 February

Friday 26 February

Saturday 27 February

Monday 1 March

Tuesday 2 March

Wednesday 3 March

Friday 5 March

Sunday 7 March

Monday 8 March🌑 New moon

Image credits

Saturday 20 February Snow Moon

Monday 8 March New moon