Customs

Monday 26 April

Friday 30 April

Folklore from the old calendars

The Swinton May-singers No longer kept LancashireIn 1861 a man at Swinton, near Eccles, was surprised one April evening by a party of singers on his lawn with a flute and a clarinet.
The storm cock Lore and belief EnglandBefore a storm the mistle thrush was said to sing especially loud and to keep on singing until the rain began, and for this it was called the storm cock in some places.
Dun-pickles on the downs Lore and belief WiltshireIt was said in Wiltshire that the dun-pickles, or moor buzzards, came down in great numbers on the downs before rain.
Fetching the elm on May Eve in Cornwall No longer kept CornwallBorlase wrote that the Cornish people of the towns went out into the country on May Eve and cut down a tall elm, which they brought back with rejoicing.
The May bush in Westmeath No longer kept LeinsterSir Henry Piers wrote in 1682 that on May Eve every family in Westmeath set up a green bush before its door, strewn over with the yellow flowers that the meadows yielded in plenty.
Hawthorns from Woodstock Park No longer kept OxfordshireEvery May Eve the people of Woodstock went into the park and carried off a number of hawthorn trees to set before their doors.
Cattle in the neighbour’s corn on May Eve Lore and belief IrelandA sixteenth-century manuscript says the Irish drove their cattle into a neighbour's corn on May Eve, most often an English settler's.
Gadding to the woods against May No longer kept EnglandOn the night before May Day young men and maids, and old men and wives with them, went out to the woods, groves, hills and mountains and stayed there all night.
Nettles on May Eve in the south of Ireland No longer kept MunsterOn May Eve schoolboys in the south of Ireland thought themselves free to run wild with bunches of nettles, stinging the faces and hands of their companions and anyone else they dared.
Evil spirits revelling in the churches Lore and belief WalesWithin living memory it was believed in Wales that evil spirits were let loose on May Day Eve, St John's Eve and All Hallows' Eve and held high revelry inside the churches.

Fri 30 Apr from 19:30
Custom

Beltane Fire Festival

Sets off from Calton Hill, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh

Saturday 1 May

May Day

Sat 1 May from 06:00
Custom

Oxford May Morning

Sets off from High Street by Magdalen Tower, Oxford, Oxfordshire
- Dance
- May Day

Sat 1 May from 10:00
Custom

Padstow May Day

Golden Lion Hotel, Padstow, Cornwall
Sat 1 May 13:30 16:00
Custom

Knutsford Royal May Day

Sets off from Knutsford Heath, Cheshire

Sunday 2 May

Folklore from the old calendars

Heavy cake Sunday at Penzance No longer kept CornwallOn the first Sunday after May Day families from Penzance went out together to Rose Hill, Poltair and other villages near by.
All friends round the Wrekin No longer kept ShropshirePeople from round Wellington in Shropshire used to climb the Wrekin on the Sunday after May Day, and on the three Sundays following, to drink a health to all friends round the Wrekin.
Ringing the old bailiff out at Buckingham No longer kept BuckinghamshireA visitor to Buckingham on the first Sunday after May Day found the main street lined with townspeople and villagers crying that they were ringing the old bailiff out.
Rowan gathered on the second of May Lore and belief Northern EnglandA twig of rowan gathered on the second of May and wound with many yards of red thread was set in the window to keep witches away.
Rowan crosses on Roodmas Eve Lore and belief AberdeenshireOn 2 May, the eve of the Invention of the Holy Cross, people in Aberdeenshire made crosses of rowan twigs and set them over their doors and windows.
Rowan and honeysuckle in the byres on 2 May No longer kept BanffshireThe farmers of Fordyce guarded their cattle against witchcraft by putting boughs of rowan and honeysuckle in their cow houses on 2 May.

Monday 26 April

Friday 30 April

Beltane Fire Festival

Saturday 1 May

Oxford May Morning

Padstow May Day

Knutsford Royal May Day

Sunday 2 May

Image credits