Folklore of England

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Shrove Tuesday

Folklore from the old calendars

The freshmen’s caudle at Merton No longer kept OxfordshireAnthony a Wood described how the freshmen of Merton College were put through their paces on Shrove Tuesday in 1647.
The Hoddesdon Curfew and the Pancakes No longer kept HertfordshireA correspondent told Hone that the old curfew bell at Hoddesdon, once rung for putting out all fire and candle light, was still rung at four in the morning on Shrove Tuesday, as it had been time out of mind.
The King of Christmas at Norwich No longer kept NorfolkOn a Shrove Tuesday at Norwich a rider crowned as King of Christmas went through the streets on a horse trapped in tin foil, with the twelve months of the year going before him in disguise.
The noon bell at Newcastle No longer kept NorthumberlandAt Newcastle upon Tyne the great bell of St Nicholas's church was tolled at twelve o'clock on Shrove Tuesday.
The owl in the Shrovetide pot at North Walsham No longer kept NorfolkAt North Walsham, about forty years before Strutt wrote, some jokers put an owl into the earthen pot used for Shrove Tuesday cock-throwing, and fixed the head and tail of a dead cock so they showed as a live bird's would.
The pan’s hot No longer kept OxfordshireIn Oxfordshire the children went from door to door on Shrove Tuesday singing a shroving rhyme and begging for halfpence.
The Pancake Bell Still kept EnglandOn Shrove Tuesday the church bells were set ringing in the morning, and one bell in particular, the Pancake Bell, told every household that it was time to start frying.
The Pancake Greaze Still kept LondonAt eleven on Shrove Tuesday a verger of Westminster Abbey with a silver baton led the school cook, in white apron, jacket and cap, into the schoolroom carrying a pancake.
The pancake on the crow at Eton No longer kept BuckinghamshireIn Queen Elizabeth's time the cook at Eton fastened a pancake on Shrove Tuesday to the crow, the iron ring that served as a knocker, on the school door.
The Pancake-Bell and the father’s knell No longer kept EnglandPoor men liked the sound of the Shrove Tuesday pancake bell better than any other.
The Shrovetide ball and the bull-ring Still kept County DurhamIn a Durham town Hazlitt calls Sedgwick (Sedgefield), townspeople and country folk played a Shrovetide ball match.
The victor of the Shrovetide cock-fight No longer kept West CountryOn Shrove Tuesday the schoolboy whose cock had beaten all the rest went through the streets in triumph, decked with ribbons.
The Whipping Toms of the Newarke No longer kept LeicestershireOn Shrove Tuesday afternoon, men called Whipping Toms armed with waggon whips flogged anyone they could catch in the Newarke at Leicester, but only while a bell-man beside each of them kept ringing his bell.
Threshing the fat hen in Essex and Suffolk No longer kept Essex, SuffolkAt Shrovetide in Essex and Suffolk the farm men went shroving and threshed a fat hen, and if a blindfolded man could kill her she was theirs.
Threshing the Hen No longer kept Cornwall, WalesA hen that had not laid before Shrove Tuesday was counted useless.
Throwing at Cocks No longer kept England, NorfolkThrowing sticks at a tethered cock was an old and cruel Shrove Tuesday sport, which Hone was glad to see dying out among decent people.
Whemmeled on the muck-midden No longer kept Northern EnglandOn northern farms each servant, man or woman, had to fry and toss a pancake on Shrove Tuesday in order of seniority.

Ash Wednesday

Folklore from the old calendars

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

Folklore of England

Shrove Tuesday

Ash Wednesday

18 February, not tied to the day

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