Breaking the master’s cellar door at Curry Rivel

6 December · Curry Rivel, Somerset

No longer kept

On St Nicholas’s Day the schoolboys of Curry Rivel, who were taught in a school inside the church, had a barrel of good ale brought into the church. That night they had the privilege of breaking open their master’s cellar door. Aubrey, who called the village Curry-Yeovill, said the West Country schoolboys still kept the day religiously for their patron saint.

that time a Barrell of good Ale brought into the church; and that night they have the priviledge to breake open their Masters Cellar-dore.

From Aubrey's Remaines of Gentilisme and Judaisme, p. 41. Read the original

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Folklore from the old calendars

The boy bishop Still kept WiltshireOn St Nicholas's Day a chorister was chosen as boy bishop and, with a boy dean and chapter, carried out the bishop's offices until Holy Innocents' Day.
Cocks and pence at Wye School No longer kept KentHasted recorded that the master of Wye School in Kent, founded by Archbishop Kempe in 1447, was to teach grammar free to rich and poor alike.
Orders, Master, orders No longer kept YorkshireAround St Nicholas's Day, the schoolboys' patron, northern grammar school boys shut their master out and chanted for their orders before letting him back in.
The child bishop sings to Queen Mary No longer kept LondonIn 1554 the boy bishop of St Paul's and his company were admitted to Queen Mary's privy chamber and sang before her on St Nicholas's Day.
The boy bishop’s dinner at Lambeth No longer kept London, SurreyOn St Nicholas's Day the boy bishop of Lambeth and his company were given a dinner at the parish's expense.

Breaking the master’s cellar door at Curry Rivel

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