When Easter falls on Lady Day

25 March · Wales

Lore and belief

The Welsh held it a very evil omen for Wales when Easter Day fell on 25 March, Lady Day. Trevelyan lists it among Easter beliefs that included wearing something new at Easter for a year’s luck and the saying that a cold Easter brings a warm Whitsun.

It was considered a very evil omen for Wales when Easter Day fell on March 25, or Lady Day.

From Trevelyan's Folk-Lore of Wales, p. 249. Read the original

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Folklore from the old calendars

Monday fasts when Lady Day falls on a Monday Lore and belief EnglandIn the late fifteenth century some people fasted on every Monday of the year when Lady Day, the feast of Our Lady in Lent, fell on a Monday, trusting such new-found fasts to save them from sudden death.
Plucking the fen geese at Lady Day No longer kept LincolnshireThe great flocks of geese in the Lincolnshire fens had their first plucking of the year at Lady Day, for feathers and quills.
Entering the fallows at Lady Day No longer kept EnglandIn the open-field champion country a new farmer could enter on all the fallow land at Lady Day, half a year before his Michaelmas entry.
Our Lady’s smock at Lady Day Lore and belief EnglandCuckoo flower was called Our Lady's smock because it first flowered about Lady Day, and its name was taken to recall the Virgin's garment in honour of the Annunciation.
Pope Ladies at St Albans No longer kept HertfordshireSt Albans sold buns called Pope Ladies on Lady Day, baked in the shape of ladies.
My Lord in my Lady’s lap Lore and belief EnglandAn old rhyme warned that when Easter Day fell on or near Lady Day, 25 March, England would suffer some misfortune.
The Tichborne Dole Still kept HampshireThe story is that the dying Lady Mabella asked her husband, Sir Roger Tichborne, for a dole of bread to be given every Lady Day, and he promised her as much land as she could go round while a brand burned, thinking she could not go far.

When Easter falls on Lady Day

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