Folklore of Northern England

26 December

Folklore from the old calendars

Goose pies in the North Riding No longer kept YorkshireA memoir of Christmas in the North Riding of Yorkshire, printed in the Gentleman's Magazine in 1811, told how large goose pies were made on St Stephen's Day.
No fasting on St Stephen’s even Lore and belief Northern EnglandA rhyme blessed St Stephen because nobody fasted on the eve of his day, which was Christmas Day itself.
No game laws on St Stephen’s Day No longer kept Northern EnglandIn the North, St Stephen's Day was given over to hunting and shooting by almost everyone.
The Northumberland sword dancers Still kept NorthumberlandA correspondent of the Table Book, describing the miners of Northumberland, wrote that the old custom of sword dancing at Christmas was kept up there only by the pitmen.
The servants’ holiday at Chester No longer kept CheshireCheshire farm servants were hired from New Year's Eve to Christmas Day, and then took six or seven days off, leaving their masters to manage alone.

26 December, not tied to the day

28 December, not tied to the day

31 December

Folklore from the old calendars

Hagman Heigh No longer kept YorkshireClarkson's History of Richmond, quoted in the Table Book, described the Hagman Heigh, kept in Yorkshire on New Year's Eve.
Letting in the New Year Still kept Northern England, ScotlandOne of the most general customs of the last night of the year was to sit up until twelve o'clock, and then, when the hour had struck, go to the house door and unbar it with great formality, to let the old year out and the new year in.
New Year’s gifts on the eve at Kirkby Stephen No longer kept WestmorlandAt Kirkby Stephen the children went round begging their New Year's gifts on New Year's Eve rather than on the day itself.
The lucky glass Lore and belief Northern EnglandThe last glass drained from the last bottle on New Year's Eve or Day was called the lucky glass and brought good fortune to whoever got it.
The Muncaster children’s New Year’s Eve ditty No longer kept CumberlandOn New Year's Eve the children of Muncaster went from house to house singing for a gift they said had been theirs since old King Edward's days.
The Richmond pinder’s Hagman song No longer kept YorkshireOn New Year's Eve old Master Craven, the pinder of the borough of Richmond, sang the last surviving verses of the Hagmena song.
The wind on New Year’s Eve night Lore and belief Northern EnglandThe wind on New Year's Eve night foretold the coming year.

1 January

Folklore from the old calendars

A favoured youth for first-foot Still kept Northern EnglandThe first person over the threshold on New Year's Day was thought to shape the family's luck, above all the daughters', for the whole year.
Charming the first new moon of the year Lore and belief England, YorkshireTo learn whom she would marry, a girl went out on the evening the first new moon appeared after New Year's Day, stood over the bars of a gate or stile, and hailed the moon.
If the grass grows in Janiveer Lore and belief Northern EnglandA saying still heard in the north of England in Ellis's day warned against a mild start to the year: if the grass grows in January, it grows the worse for it all the year.
Nothing carried out on New Year’s Day No longer kept County DurhamIn the old farmhouses of County Durham nothing was allowed to leave the house on New Year's Day, though anything might be brought in.
Riding the Stang on New Year’s Day No longer kept Cumberland, WestmorlandA writer in the Gentleman's Magazine of 1791 reported that in Westmorland and Cumberland crowds gathered early on New Year's morning carrying baskets and stangs, or stout poles.
The bachelor first-foot at Stamfordham No longer kept NorthumberlandAt Stamfordham the first-foot on New Year's morning had to be a bachelor, and he usually carried in a shovelful of coals, though whisky was taking its place.
The Fair First-foot at Preston Lore and belief LancashireA gentleman of Preston told Notes and Queries that for many years he had called on an elderly lady early on New Year's Day at her own request, because he was fair-complexioned and so thought to bring good luck for the year.
The hired Lucky-bird No longer kept County Durham, YorkshireIn the west of County Durham a man might be engaged in advance to be a household's first-foot, or Lucky-bird as Yorkshire called him, and was paid with a glass of spirits.
The Hutton Conyers Pie Court No longer kept YorkshireThe lord of the manor of Hutton Conyers held his court on the first day of the year, when the shepherds of six townships around the moor came to keep their right of sheep-walk.
The shoe left with the ale-wife No longer kept WestmorlandOn New Year's Day in Westmorland towns and villages the men lifted the women onto a ladder, pole or chair and carried them off to the nearest public house.
The Workington women’s club dinner on New Year’s Day No longer kept CumberlandWorkington had a friendly society of more than two hundred women, and every New Year's Day its members sat down to an annual dinner.

26 December

26 December, not tied to the day

28 December, not tied to the day

31 December

1 January

Image credits