Customs

Friday 3 September

Saturday 4 September

Sat 4 Sep 10:00 18:00
Custom, day 1 of 2

Sowerby Bridge Rushbearing

St John the Evangelist Church, Warley, West Yorkshire

Sunday 5 September

Sun 5 Sep Sowerby Bridge Rushbearing day 2 of 2 · 10:00–18:00

Monday 6 September

Mon 6 Sep 08:00 16:00
Custom

Abbots Bromley Horn Dance

St Nicholas Church, Abbots Bromley, Staffordshire

Wednesday 8 September

Wed 8 Sep 09:00 22:00
Custom, day 1 of 4

Neath Fair

Sets off from Queen Street, Neath, Neath Port Talbot
- Fair or wakes

Thursday 9 September

Thu 9 Sep Neath Fair day 2 of 4 · 09:00–22:00

Friday 10 September

Fri 10 Sep Neath Fair day 3 of 4 · 09:00–22:00

Saturday 11 September

Sat 11 Sep Neath Fair day 4 of 4 · 09:00–22:00

Monday 13 September

Mon 13 Sep 09:00 16:00
Custom

Conwy Honey Fair

Sets off from Lancaster Square, Conwy, Conwy
- Fair or wakes

Tuesday 14 September

Folklore from the old calendars

Nutting on Holy Rood Day No longer kept EnglandHoly Rood Day, the feast of the Holy Cross, was the day for going out to gather nuts in the hazel woods.
The Eton Nutting Holiday No longer kept BuckinghamshireAn old manuscript about Eton recorded that on a certain day in September, most likely Holy Rood Day, the scholars had a holiday to go out and gather nuts.
The Rood of Grace No longer kept KentThe crucifix at Boxley Abbey, the Rood of Grace, drew pilgrims because its figure of Christ moved its eyes, lips and head.
The Holy Rood Buck in Richmond Park No longer kept SurreyOn Holy Rood Day the king's huntsmen hunted their free buck in Richmond New Park with bloodhounds.
Fools Fair at Lincoln No longer kept LincolnshireA cattle fair held in the Broad Gate at Lincoln on 14 September was known as Fools Fair.
The stag at Durham on Holy-rood Day No longer kept County DurhamA stag was once offered at the high altar of Durham Abbey on Holy Rood Day while horns were wound in the church.
The passion flower for Holy Rood Lore and belief EnglandThe passion flower, blooming about Holy Rood Day, was taken to show the signs of the Cross whose feast fell on 14 September.

Wednesday 15 September Harvest Moon

Thursday 16 September

Friday 17 September

Saturday 18 September

Sat 18 Sep All day
Custom

Egremont Crab Fair

Sets off from Main Street, Egremont, Cumbria

Sunday 19 September

Tuesday 21 September

Thursday 23 September

Friday 24 September

Folklore from the old calendars

Harvest Home and the Hock Cart No longer kept EnglandIn the southern counties the reapers chose a lord of the harvest to bargain with the farmer and lead the work, and in Buckinghamshire a lady as well, with fines for anyone who got the order of drinking wrong.
The Corn Baby and the Mell Supper No longer kept Northern EnglandIn the north of England the harvest feast was the mell supper.
Crying the Mare No longer kept Hertfordshire, ShropshireIn Hertfordshire and Shropshire the reapers left the last few stalks standing and tied them up as the mare, then threw their sickles at it until one cut it down.
The Cripple Goat No longer kept Inner HebridesOn Skye the farmer who finished his harvest first sent the last handful he had cut to the next farmer still at work, calling it the cripple goat.
Crying the Neck Still kept Devon, West CountryIn Devon the last handful of standing corn was called the nack or neck.
The Kirn No longer kept ScotlandIn Scotland the words harvest home were unknown, and the feast at the end of harvest was the kirn or kirn supper, thought to be named from the churn of cream served at it.
Crying Largess No longer kept East Anglia, Essex, HertfordshireIn Suffolk the harvest lord would leave the field to ask any passer-by for a largess, then stand his reapers in a ring and call from a gate post while they answered with a groan and then three great shouts.
The Harvest Catch in Norfolk No longer kept Essex, NorfolkThe last thing before parting at a Norfolk harvest supper was a health-drinking catch sung first to the mistress and then to the master.
Burning the Witch No longer kept YorkshireIn the East Riding, on the evening the last of a farmer's corn was cut, the reapers heaped eight or ten small piles of dried peas together in the field and set them alight.
The Norfolk Horkey No longer kept NorfolkIn Norfolk the harvest home was the horkey.
The Harvest Goose No longer kept EnglandTusser advised the farmer that when harvest was in he should give his ploughman a harvest home goose.

Saturday 25 September

Sat 25 Sep from 10:00
Custom, day 1 of 2

Masham Sheep Fair

Sets off from Market Place, Masham, North Yorkshire
- Fair or wakes
- Animal Customs
Sat 25 Sep from 18:30
Custom

Burgess Hill Bonfire

Sets off from Fairfield Recreation Ground, Burgess Hill, West Sussex

Sunday 26 September

Sun 26 Sep Masham Sheep Fair day 2 of 2 · From 10:00

Monday 27 September

Tuesday 28 September

Wednesday 29 September

Michaelmas

Wed 29 Sep 11:00 23:00
Custom, day 1 of 4

Bridgwater St Matthew’s Fair

Sets off from St Matthew’s Field, Bridgwater, Somerset
- Fair or wakes
- Harvest and Hiring

Thursday 30 September New moon

Thu 30 Sep Bridgwater St Matthew’s Fair day 2 of 4 · 11:00–23:00

Friday 1 October

Fri 1 Oct All day
Custom, day 1 of 10

Nottingham Goose Fair

Sets off from Forest Recreation Ground, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
- Fair or wakes
- Animal Customs
Fri 1 Oct Bridgwater St Matthew’s Fair day 3 of 4 · 11:00–23:00

Saturday 2 October

Sat 2 Oct Nottingham Goose Fair day 2 of 10 · All day
Sat 2 Oct Bridgwater St Matthew’s Fair day 4 of 4 · 11:00–23:00
Sat 2 Oct from 19:15
Custom

Eastbourne Bonfire

Crown and Anchor, Eastbourne, East Sussex

Sunday 3 October

Sun 3 Oct All day
Custom, day 1 of 8

Ballinasloe October Fair

Sets off from Fair Green, Ballinasloe, County Galway
- Fair or wakes
- Animal Customs
Sun 3 Oct Nottingham Goose Fair day 3 of 10 · All day

Friday 3 September

Saturday 4 September

Sunday 5 September

Monday 6 September

Wednesday 8 September

Thursday 9 September

Friday 10 September

Saturday 11 September

Monday 13 September

Tuesday 14 September

Wednesday 15 September🌕 Harvest Moon

Thursday 16 September

Friday 17 September

Saturday 18 September

Sunday 19 September

Tuesday 21 September

Thursday 23 September

Friday 24 September

Saturday 25 September

Sunday 26 September

Monday 27 September

Tuesday 28 September

Wednesday 29 September

Thursday 30 September🌑 New moon

Friday 1 October

Saturday 2 October

Sunday 3 October

Image credits

Wednesday 15 September Harvest Moon

Thursday 30 September New moon