Folklore of England

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1 May

Folklore from the old calendars

Birch for a sweetheart, alder for a scold No longer kept CheshireIn Cheshire young men used to put birch boughs over their sweethearts' doors on May Day, and marked the house of a scold with an alder bough.
Cheese rolling at Randwick Still kept GloucestershireC.
Cows’ horns on May night at Oxford No longer kept OxfordshireAubrey noted that the boys of Oxford blew cows' horns and hollow canes all through the night before May Day.
Dining with Duke Humphrey No longer kept LondonIn old St Paul's stood the tomb of Sir John Beauchamp, which the ignorant called the tomb of Humphrey, the good Duke of Gloucester, though he lay at St Albans.
Dipping Day in Cornwall No longer kept CornwallIn Cornwall May Day was Dipping Day, when boys armed with buckets, cans and syringes soaked anyone they met.
Dr Parr’s maypole at Hatton No longer kept WarwickshireSamuel Parr, the great Greek scholar and parson of Hatton near Warwick, was a keen patron of the May games.
Dray horses in ribbons on May Day No longer kept YorkshireOn May Day the Midland Railway's Sheffield dray horses paraded at the Wicker goods station with ribbons in their manes and tails and polished brass, and prizes went to the best-groomed.
Fishing for the ring in the May syllabub No longer kept NorthumberlandHutchinson's History of Northumberland describes a syllabub made for the May feast from milk warm from the cow, sweet cakes and wine.
Henry VIII goes a-Maying on Shooter’s Hill No longer kept Kent, LondonStow wrote that on May morning every Londoner who could walked out into the meadows and woods to enjoy the flowers and the birdsong.
Horns and music to the May woods No longer kept EnglandYoung people of both sexes got up a little after midnight on May Day and walked to a nearby wood with music and the blowing of horns.
Horses for the Kings of Cologne on May Day No longer kept BerkshireOn May Day 1499 the parish of St Laurence in Reading paid for fodder for the horses of the Kings of Cologne, the three Wise Men of its King play.
Lambs weaned at Philip and Jacob No longer kept Essex, SuffolkIn Essex and Suffolk the lambs were taken from the ewes on the feast of St Philip and St James, 1 May, by farmers who wanted to milk them.
Latimer gives place to Robin Hood No longer kept EnglandWhen Bishop Latimer came to preach in a country town on a holiday, he found the church locked because the parish had gone out to gather for Robin Hood.
May branches at Eton No longer kept BuckinghamshireA manuscript account of Eton School in 1560 says that on the day of St Philip and St James, 1 May, the boys who wished might rise at four o'clock, if the weather was fair and the master allowed it, to gather May branches, provided they could do it without wetting their feet.
May branches at the doors in Thaxted No longer kept EssexOn May morning the girls of Thaxted went round waving branches before the doors of the townspeople.
May Day at Lynn No longer kept NorfolkA correspondent told Hone that at Lynn the children raced to be first up on May morning, and those out early sometimes nailed up the doors of sleepy friends through the latch.
May Fair in Piccadilly No longer kept LondonThe fair that gave Mayfair its name was held near Piccadilly through the month of May.
May gads on Maypole Hill at Horncastle No longer kept LincolnshireStukeley recorded in 1724 that there was a Maypole Hill near Horncastle in Lincolnshire.
May goslings at Skipton No longer kept YorkshireAt Skipton in Craven the children kept May Day as a second April Fools' Day, making their companions May goslings, or geese.
May music at Penzance No longer kept CornwallA Penzance man told Hone that on May Eve young men and women sat up at a public house until midnight, then went round the town with fiddles and drums calling out the rest of their party.
May-day garlands at Sevenoaks No longer kept KentThe children of Sevenoaks carried May boughs and garlands from door to door, calling "May-day, garland-day!" for a few pence.
Mrs Montagu’s dinner for the sweeps No longer kept LondonEvery May Day Elizabeth Montagu, the bluestocking hostess, gave a dinner for the chimney sweeps of London at her house in Portman Square.

Folklore of England

1 May

1 May, not tied to the day

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