Folklore of South East

1 September

Folklore from the old calendars

Carrying the Fly away at Michaelmas No longer kept OxfordshireOn Michaelmas Day the Oxford cooks rode out again to the green to carry away the Fly they had fetched in at Whitsun.
Chopping Sticks and Counting Hobnails Still kept London, ShropshireAt Michaelmas the new sheriffs of London went by barge to Westminster to be sworn in at the Court of Exchequer, where the City also paid two ancient quit rents.
The Hastings curfew from Michaelmas No longer kept SussexAt Hastings the curfew bell was still tolled at eight o'clock every evening through the winter half of the year, from Michaelmas to Lady Day.
Tufts of wool at the Wycombe hiring No longer kept BuckinghamshireAt the Michaelmas hiring fair in High Wycombe market place, farm servants showed their trade on their hats: shepherds wore tufts of wool, cowmen a tuft of hair and ploughmen knotted whipcord.