St George's Day

Next: Friday 23 April 2027

23 April, the national day of England, kept in some towns with morris dancing, mummers and dragons.

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The year from Monday 23 November

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Folklore from the old calendars

Blue coats for St George No longer kept EnglandHone recorded that until the beginning of the nineteenth century people of fashion wore coats of blue cloth on St George's Day.
Harebells for St George Lore and belief EnglandThe wild bluebell covered the fields about St George's Day, and was held a fitting emblem of England's patron saint, since blue was worn on his feast.
Horse-skins for St George at Reading No longer kept BerkshireIn 1536 the churchwardens of Reading paid for a St George and his horse to be made up in the church, with a loft for the saint to stand on.
Riding the George at Leicester No longer kept LeicestershireAt Leicester the riding of the George was one of the chief ceremonies of the town year.
St George cries go, St Mark cries ho Lore and belief WiltshireAubrey noted a Wiltshire proverb pairing two April saints' days two days apart, St George's on the 23rd and St Mark's on the 25th.
The mail-coach procession No longer kept LondonKing George IV, born on 12 August, moved the keeping of his birthday to St George's Day, and on the king's birthday the London mail coaches went in yearly procession.
The Mordiford dragon Lore and belief HerefordshireA great green dragon was painted on the west end of Mordiford church, and generations of visitors were told it was the likeness of a real one killed in the nearby river Lugg by a condemned criminal.
The Nine Maidens’ Well Lore and belief AngusNear Dundee is the Nine Maidens' Well, with places nearby called Pittempton, Baldragon, Strathmartine and Martinstane.
The St George pageant at Dublin No longer kept LeinsterThe chain book of the city of Dublin laid down who was to provide what for the St George's Day pageant.
The St George’s Day bells at Chester No longer kept CheshireIn 1609 or 1610 the sheriff of Chester, Robert Amory, had three silver bells made to be run for by horses on the Roodee every St George's Day, the winner keeping the best bell for a year.

Folklore from the old calendars

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