Folklore of England

1 April

Folklore from the old calendars

A cold April the barn will fill Lore and belief EnglandOpening his April, Chambers observed that proverbial wisdom took a kindly view of the month.
Ah, you April fool! Still kept EnglandHone traced how the April fool's street trick changed with fashion.
April fools and the Sabine virgins Lore and belief EnglandOne explanation of April fooling traced it to a trick played by the Romans on the Sabines.
Oil of hazel on All Fools’ Day No longer kept County DurhamAs a boy in Durham, Henderson was sent on 1 April to the chemist for a pennyworth of oil of hazel, and got it from the hazel stick kept behind the counter.
Sleeveless errands on All Fools’ Day Still kept EnglandChambers found the first of April given over to harmless tricks on unsuspecting neighbours, mostly by the young.
Washing the lions No longer kept LondonIn March 1860 a great many people received through the post an official-looking card inviting them to the Tower of London to see the annual washing of the white lions on Sunday 1 April.

1 April, not tied to the day

3 days before Easter

2 April

Good Friday

Folklore from the old calendars

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.
Bees moved only on Good Friday No longer kept DevonIn Devon bees were never moved from one place to another except on Good Friday.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

Folklore of England

1 April

1 April, not tied to the day

3 days before Easter

2 April

Good Friday

3 April

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