Custom demised: Firing the trees at Kingsbridge and Salcombe, Devonnn

Wassails are fairly common place across the UK; indeed it could be claimed to be the most vibrant and growing custom. Thistleton-Dwyer notes in his 1911 British Popular Customs Present and Past that:

“At Kingsbridge and Salcombe it was formerly customary for the ciderist, attended by his workmen with a large can or pitcher of cider, guns charged with powder, &c., to repair to the orchard, and there at the foot of one of the best-bearing apple-trees.”

He records that a toast was read three times and the fire arms were charged at the end. The rhyme is a fairly familiar one:

“Here’s to thee, old apple tree,
Whence thou may’st bud,
And whence thou may’st blow!
And whence thou may’st bear apples enow!
Hats full! caps full!
Bushel—bushel-sacks full!
And my pockets full too! Huzza!”

He records a unusual conclusion to the custom which suggests a hybridisation with Lord of Misrule customs:

“The pitcher being emptied, they returned to the house, the doors of which they were certain to find bolted by the females; who, however bad the weather might be, were inexorable to all entreaties to open them, till some one had divined what was on the spit.”

He concludes:

“This was generally not easily thought of, and if edible was the reward of him who first named it. The party were then admitted.”

When the custom died out is unclear but it was certainly still current in the 1800s.

Custom survived: The Boar’s Head procession, London

“Before the last civil wars, in gentlemen’s houses at Christmas, the first diet that was brought to table was a boar’s head with a lemon in his mouth.”
John Aubrey, MS. dated 1678

The Boar’s head is a tradition associated with Christmas particularly in wealthy and high status families and there are a number of such processions recorded, some surviving and others demised. The Boar head was so pivotal to Christmas that it even gained its own carol sung when it was processed.

A bit of a boar

The tradition is associated with a parcel of land which was given to the company in 1343 to clean and dispose of any beast entrails by the then city’s Lord Mayor John Hammond a grocer after complaints were made by the monks at the Greyfriars as they had been discarding their “offal and ordure” into the streets.

Thus on 12th March 1343, the City granted them:

“…a parcel of land in Secollane adjoining the Flete, for the purposes of cleansing the entrails of beasts in the said water”

So they could:

“dispose of the offal in the Flete Ditch.”

To pay for this:

“…for which said butchers to repair and maintain a certain wharf, they and their successors, for ever, rendering yearly to the Mayor of London, at Christmas, a boar’s head.”

The cost to the Butchers according to early accounts stating

“Pd. For a boar to my Lord Mayor £1.4.0d.”

The land apparently has long gone and the practice no longer happens but the fee – a boars head continues to be asked for and delivered to the Lord Mayor apparently every year since although evidence of this is not that forth coming.

Not very boaring!

As I arrived the members of the company were just finishing off their apparent sausage and mash lunch but soon appeared outside resplendent in their furs and hats. As soon as the band arrived they began to organise themselves into a procession. This procession was lead by a bagpipe band with the company being lead by a beadle with his silver staff. In the middle was the boar’s head or rather a rather splendid red papermache head surrounded by plastic fruit carried on a wooden platter by four members of the company. Soon a band had arrived, this time a bagpipe band, the lead this curious procession to the Mansion house to deliver the papermache head to the Lord Mayor…rather pointless but certainly colourful and tuneful!

The procession stopped the traffic and passes a number of London landmarks such as the Museum of London and St Paul’s cathedral on its way. Once it had arrived the Mayor came out to inspect the Boar’s head although apparently a real boars head which is still given to the Mayor and I was informed by one of the company it had already been delivered and eaten…which seemed a bit strange as you would have thought they would have eaten after the procession – albeit a token procession it may be! Overall an extremely colourful event and one which certainly caught the eye and the mobile phones of the public as it went by.

Custom transcribed: Leed’s Caribbean Carnival

“Carnival is the embodiment of their sense of being and purpose and its celebration is an essential and profoundly self-affirming gesture of a people.”

Dr Geraldine Connor, renowned ethnomusicologist and artistic creator of Carnival Messiah

I have reported on here about the Notting Hill Carnival, a giddying display of sounds and sights which is one of the jewels in the crown of our calendar customs. However, the oldest Caribbean carnival is the lesser known Leeds West Indian Carnival as it calls itself and despite being considerably less well-known is every way as vibrant and awe inspiring.

There is certainly a carnival feeling that has taken over Leeds as even in the city centre one could see suitably attired individuals jumping aboard buses heading to Chapeltown where the carnival is based. The buses do not go far though as soon they get diverted as all roads to carnival central are closed and the passengers pour out to make their pilgrimage on foot. Soon the excitement begins to build as one comes across sound system after sound system nestled in shop fronts, check by jawl with food stalls. The sounds of reggae, soca and zouk mixing with the smells of rice and peas, saltfish and jerk. People laughing and singing clearly getting into the party mood – however, they would have a long time to wait these sound systems were towards the end of the parade.

Hot, Hot, Hot

August’s bank holiday monday was warming up and so was the crowd. I arrived at the carnival’s centre which was Potternewton park, here acts filled the stage and large crowds relaxed, danced and enjoyed the atmosphere. Soon dancers and portable sound systems began to assembly to process out of the park and people line the route. The costumes were impressive and show the artistry of the community and one is astounded at both the complexity and challenge created to those wearing them! The dancing was mesmeric and addictive and yes as of course soca classics Hot Hot Hot and Follow the Leader boomed out of the trucks leading their dancers on – it could not be carnival without these – as well as blending with modern sounds of Afrobeat and RnB as one sound system departed the sounds being replaced by another.

Follow the leader, leader, leader – who was first?

The first British Caribbean carnival event did appear in London in 1959 and although there was such a presence in the 1966 Notting Hill Street fair but this was combined with with people from all over Europe in their national costumes. Thus the first West Indian carnival parade which was organised by Black Caribbeans comprising of largely Caribbean diaspora with steel bands was actually the idea of Arthur France, from St Kitts-Nevis in 1967. Together with Trinidadian Frankie Davis and Jamaican Tony Lewis, University of Leeds students organised the first carnival at what is now Leeds City College which is claimed was a few years before the first Notting Hill one; although other sources claim that was first held in 1966 although it may well have been a street fair rather than a parade!

Carn for all!

Carnival is important for Britain’s Caribbean community as stated by Arthur France interviewed in 1994 stated:

“Carnival also reminds us of our roots, the struggle our ancestors had to bear, the oppression of our leaders, and great role models, but not in vain, for while we continue to celebrate carnival their achievements will remain with us forever”.

However, Guy Farrar, Tim Smith, Max Farrar in their 2017 Celebrate! 50 Years of Leeds West Indian Carnival state that at first there was opposition from the local Leeds black community as the vast majority thought it was degrading and a low class activity. This is certainly not the view now and fast forward over 50 years the carnival continues to celebrate Caribbean culture but now it is even more inclusive as our community has become more integrated and diverse and everyone is welcome to celebrate the music, dances and above all foods. Notting Hill despite its view of being a gold standard, many eschew it as a result of its crowds and reputation (although you would be hard pressed to find any event with a million of so people and alcohol which would be trouble free I would say!), Leeds is certainly a worthy alternative and of course if you plan it well you could attend both.

Custom contrived: Blessing the Bread at Lammas, Southwark

Ask any tourist to name a London cathedral; I am sure they will name St Pauls and Westminster, but Southwark probably not. This is not really surprising for whilst the later too regal in pomp and regale in their tourist reputation, Southwark still has that feel of a community cathedral, one whose principle role is to serve as thus it is not surprising that it has established a custom which firmly links it to the thriving market that sits at its feet.

The tradition is one established on an older one and incorporated into a central ritual of the church; communion. The older tradition is Lammas. Lammas,  dates from Saxon times, deriving from the old English ‘hlaf masse’ for Loaf mass. It falls on 1 August was established as the thanksgiving for the first products of the wheat harvest. Southwark’s established custom, first begun in 2014, builds upon this celebration of the wheat harvest whilst cementing its ties to a local bakery which lays in its shadow.

Give us our daily bread

The custom begins with with the delivery of the grain which will be used for the bread. The
Dean of Southwark not only blesses this but they will also held mill the wheat to make the flour that will become the Lammas Day bread,  a harvest sheaf, a small loaf and several Cathedral loaves for use in the Lammas-tide ceremony. As he does so he recants:

“Moses said to the people ‘When anyone presents a grain offering to the Lord, the offering shall be of choice flour.’ Leviticus 2.1.

Jesus said ‘The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head.’ Mark 4.28″

On the 1st of August or the day nearest too the bakery then prepare for the Dean’s visit to bless the final product. Details of the exact time of the Dean’s arrival were difficult to find so I hung around the area hoping to notice the colourful if rather short procession from the cathedral to the bakery. Sure enough lead by the cross bearer a small party of clergy arrived and entered the bakery where a the loaf awaited them on the table. The dean them blessed the bread and sprinkled holy water around the room stating:

“Let us give thanks for this grain of the new harvest to be milled to make choice flour which will be baked into the Lammas loaf. Lord of the harvest, bless the grain now in our hand bless the miller in their work bless the baker in their task bless the bread that will be baked bless the people to be fed bless the world you love so much and all in the name of Jesus our Lord.
All Amen”

And then asked the manager if there was anything else that needed blessing and he was soon guided around the bakery to bless the bakery, the bakers, all the staff, the millers, the farmers, flour and grain and as much machinery that he laid eyes upon.

 

Best thing since sliced bread

Everything suitably blessed, workers at the bakery took their newly blessed Lammas loaf and an array of other artistically designed breads and joining the Dean processed back to the cathedral where a Lammas day service was to be held. Dutifully the breads were placed upon the altar with the Lammas loaf central to the display with the Dean raising the bread up, in his presentation and saying:

“Brothers and sisters in Christ, the people of God in ancient times presented to the Lord an offering of first-fruits as a sign of their dependence upon God for their daily bread. On this Lammas Day, we bring a newly baked loaf from newly harvested wheat, baked by Bread Ahead in thanksgiving to God for his faithfulness. Jesus said, ‘I am the bread of life; those who come to me shall never be hungry and those who believe in me shall never thirst.’ John 6.35

The Lammas loaf is brought to the President, who says:

“Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation; you bring forth bread from the fields and give us the fruits of the earth in their seasons. Accept this loaf, which we bring before you, made from the harvest of your goodness. Let it be for us a sign of your fatherly care. Blessed are you, Lord our God, worthy of our thanksgiving and praise.”

The bread is then broken and later in the service given for the communion. Sadly many churches use the communion wafer as they communion offering and there is something more evocative at seeing a real loaf baked locally used in a way which had been done for centuries. Southwark’s Lammas day blessing is a small custom but one which clearly has long links to the past and firmly embedded within its community and as such hopefully will long continue.

 

Custom survived: The Hepworth Feast

Hepworth is one of those large villages that nestle in the valleys between the large conurbations of West Yorkshire. To be honest apart from the views and the pubs little would draw all but the curious casual visitor. However, on the evening of the last Monday of June it comes alive with its annual Hepworth Feast

A moveable feast

The feast is said to commemorate the village’s escape from the 1665 Great plague of Hepworth. Local tradition tells that a cloth was sent from London arrived at the home of a family called the Beevers at Foster Place in the village. Local tradition states that the maid who opened the package was the first victim and to prevent the spread the villagers established at Barracks Fold, a barricade across the lane. However, although thirteen people died, the majority survived as a such when the plague had run its course, a celebration was established.

However, there is some doubt over whether the feast was established then or revived then. The date is significant, being near the 24^th June, St John’s or Midsummer’s Eve, a popular time for such feasting and often thought to have a pagan origin. This was certainly the view of the Rev J. D. M Jones in his 1980 History of Hepwoth. This is a view in the village as well and it is also possible that it was a revived custom after the Commonwealth dissolved and the monarchy restored. Indeed such feasts were common as indicated by this account in the 2^nd July 1934:

“Penistone Feast: Open-Air Festival for Hospitals. The Penistone Feast, a survival of ancient times, and always held during the week-end following 24 June each year, is in full swing. It started on Saturday, and summer-like weather prevailing, a huge crowd assembled in the Recreation Ground, where the pleasure fair, with its many attractions, was crowded until midnight. Yesterday afternoon, the 49th annual open-air musical festival was held in a field adjoining the Feast ground, the proceeds being for the hospitals and kindred institutions.The chorus of 90 members occupied a raised platform and an orchestra of 20 persons were in front. The singing of the special hymns and choruses from the “Messiah” and the “Creation” was creditably done under the conductorship of Mr. A.W. Jagger. The Denby Silver Band, under the conductorship of Mr. W. Kaye, and the Hepworth Iron Works Brass Band, conducted by Mr. Ernest Kaye, each played a selection, and massed for the playing of a march, conducted by Mr. Ernest Kaye.”

One might also add that the nature of the custom a perambulation of the main parts of the town also suggests it could be modified beating of the bounds or rogation custom.

Feast or famine

Thus, indicating that such Feasts at this time were widespread locally but have now died out. Indeed, the Hepworth Feast nearly died out in the 1940s. Julia Smith in her 1986 Fairs, feasts and frolics states that a Mr John Smith said that attendance at meetings had dwindled to only one or two and he had threatened them by saying ‘Are you going to have a feast or not?’ The general consensus being to keep it and a committee was established, John Smith was elected as secretary and his wife did the food. One of the reasons why it may have died out is its association with drunkeness and trouble as emphasised by this case:

“The parties are both young men, and appear to have had a quarrel between them for a long time. On the 30th June, which was Hepworth Feast Monday… Kaye hit Whitehead on the head with both fists as hard as he could. Whitehead held his head down then, and Kaye deliberately kicked him in the eye with his boot. The kick had an upward tendency, and it cut his eyelid severely…”

Now the Hepworth Feast Committee made it more family oriented with the main street having stalls for children races and other entertainments such as Punch and Judy, coconut-shies and magicians acts. An account on the 3th July 1858 in the Huddersfield Chronicle reports a scene not dissimilar to what one sees today:

“Hepworth Feast was celebrated last Monday. The village presented a very animated appearance, as the day was observed as a general holiday. The procession of the children, accompanied by teachers and friends, paraded the district in the afternoon, headed by the ‘Temperance Brass Band A selection of hymns were sung by the children at the several villages they visited. On returning to the school, the usual good things were awaiting them; and the entertainments in the evening were added to by the performance of music by the band.”

Feast for the eyes

Today the band is Hepworth Brass Band has been a part of this since its formation in 1882. The bands long history puts it amongst the oldest brass bands in the country. There is only one other school that at Scholes which is visited. The Feast begins with a procession behind the Hepworth banner from the local primary school uphill, downhill, uphill and around…it’s a cruelling procession perhaps the most arduous I have ever seen a brass band do! At regular spots  en route the procession would stop, the vicar with his portable speaker and microphone would call out a number and hold it up. This would refer to a number of nationally well-known and locally well-known hymns which would be powerfully song at different locations. And despite the long route and nature the singing was impassioned and popular; especially at the pubs where they could rest longer and recharge.

Smith neatly sums up the sentiment and importance of the custom:

“The sound of the approaching band and people gathering outside the Butcher’s Arms heralds the highlight of the feast, the united sing….In his short address the Rev J D. M Jones referred to the feast as an expression of the sense of community in the village. Mr Smith, the feast secretary echoed these sentiments, as he told me how people who left the village returned annually fpr the feast; there were people here today from as far away as Bournemouth.”

The joy of the children who had followed the procession’s long route with little complaint were finally at the end rewarded with their portable feast in a brown paper bag was evident and gladly grabbed hold of it; as was the adults had theirs in the Village Hall. It was clear that the Feast is still a big day in the village and shows little sign of disappearing soon.

Custom survived: Cooper’s Hill Cheese rolling

Hard cheese

It is perhaps rare that an attendee to a calendar custom or tradition could claim to have a feeling of dread verging on PTSD attending one. However, I got that feeling returning to the internationally famous Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling. It has been a long to, 27 odd years since my first and only visit. A lot had changed. But one thing remains, the bizarreness of running after a 7-8Ib Double Gloucester!

The Coopers Hill or Brockworth cheese rolling is perhaps after a royal occasion the most famous of British customs. However, it was not always like that. Indeed its history is a bit mysterious. The first recorded evidence is in a message written to the Town crier of Gloucester in 1826; although it locally thought to date back six hundred years. Many suggestions have been made for its meaning. Was it done to secure grazing rights on common land? Did it have an association with the turning year, the cheese representing the sun? Afterall cartwheels were rolled down hills in England at Midsummer and still are in Scandinavian countries. Did it thus represent a pagan tradition? A fertility rite? Indeed, the scattering of sweets at the start which was done for children could be associated with such viewpoints. What is certain is that was once associated with Whit Monday which suggests it may have had been part of a wider Whitsun fair; akin to that on the Uffington White Horse. And indeed, here too cheeses were rolled and chased.

A description from the Folklore journal of 1912 states

“The Master of Ceremonies, Mr W. Brookes, who has officiated in this capacity for over 30 years, appeared wearing, as usual, a brown top-hat which his parents won in a dancing competition many years ago, and with a chemise over his coat. He stood by the maypole and repeatedly called the crowd to form ‘the alley’ down the slope. The course being clear, the Vicar opened the ball by sending the first ‘cheese’ (a disc of wood wrapped in pink paper) rolling down the hill. Helter-skelter ran nine young men after it, and most of them pitch-polled. The first to secure the disc, stopped at the bottom by a hedge, had to trudge uphill again, and there exchange it for the prize cheese.”

So to 2023 and after making the considerable arduous climb to the slope the first thing that amazes you are the crowds – 1000s – all ages, all nations assembled to watch what is clearly the most pointless, crazy and dangerous of all calendar customs. The grandfather of all extreme sports and certainly the progenitor of all ‘down the pub’ wacky customs. At the brow of the hill could be seen the master of ceremonies adorning a large top hat and white smock and beside him a crowd of participants, precariously perched ready to launch after the cheese they could never hope of catching.

Then

“One to be ready!”
“Two to be steady!”
“Three to prepare!”
“and four to be off!”

Off went the Double Gloucester and off went the racers, in their impossible attempt to gain the cheese. At first the majority had managed their composer, its just like any other race, but then momentum hits and the ground does not appear as even as first appeared. A few start tumbling forward, then more, then they fall, cartwheel and tumble head long into the row of rugby tacklers below. All fuelled by the considerable cacophony of cheers from right across the hills.  Some despite a few bruises leave standing up with the dignity upheld and proud to have done it. The majority disappear back into obscurity, save the boast to all that will hear that they ran the race. A small number go on to greater fame. Hopefully as the winner, denoted as the first to arrive at the bottom. Some as the ones injured by the experience.

The later often as was in the Women’s race often as not the same, as the adrenalin to win pushes you on and it seems a body devoid of the purposed propulsion of one’s legs is quicker! Indeed, it looked fairly inevitable for that winner and as the curtain closed around her and medical team came to her aid, a hush developed around the hill as we worried the cheese would be awarded posthumously. However, after a rather tense 20 minutes or so, the curtains retreated, a cheer went up as the winner naturally looking rather dazed and confused stood up and greeted her cheese and the clicks of the assembled photographers. The men did not go unscathed either with the men’s winner having a brief moment of recovery before not only being given the cheese but the new world record which he took with considerable humility. The previous record winner, a local, taking the loss with good nature but as he appeared each year to regale in his honour, the new winner hailing from Washington State, USA his regular challenge might be a challenge…but such is the international nature of this event now.

Roll back to the 90s!

Back in 1996 I met up with some old Uni friends who after even after seeing the carnage of previous attempts roped themselves and me into the race. To be honest either due to fortune, folly or favour, I do not recall making it right to the bottom; pretty sure they did; but at least I can claim to have done it. A boast that wins considerable kudos amongst the 1000s who now watch on in disbelief.  Certainly, watching it from the bottom up is far more anxiety inducing than watching it from the top I can attest.

Much of the custom appears to be the same, the curiously attired master of ceremonies, the cheeses and races and the equally crazy run and finally crawl up the hill. The one thing I didn’t notice was the distribution of sweets. This certainly happened at the top of the hill when I attended and either I missed it or its gone. I would not be surprised it has vanished; the large numbers of spectators make it bit unlikely small children would be at the top ready to scramble for them.

I was not aware of any injuries when I went but only a few years earlier in 1993 it was noted that 15 people were injured, four seriously so and only three years after I went, in 1999 the council banned it, but a small group defied the ban and moved the race to earlier in the day to allay the councils fears over the sobriety of the participants. It worked and as Steve Roud (2005) notes in The English Year:

“Oddly enough, this was just in a time when the custom was becoming popular with the national press, who now report on it each year, usually accompanied by a piece on the eccentricities of the English. Now that its fame has spread, the event attracts entrants from far and wide, and seems ilittle danger of being allowed to lapse.”

Cheesed off!

However, Roud spoke too soon for in 2009 perhaps the inevitable did happen. Health and safety again unsurprisingly raised its head and it was officially cancelled. There was no rolling in 2009 and it seemed like the end. However, you cannot keep a good roll down and the next year a smaller event was organised by an unusual alliance of journalists and locals. Such that in 2011 when locals Candis Phillips and Sara Stevens bought their own four cheeses, as the company who had donated them had been prevented from doing so due to the legality of the situation, the event thus running without management. Around 500 people turned up and interestingly no injuries were reported: A former winner being quoted as saying:

“No-one’s going to stop us doing it. They say it’s not official, but we are all Brockworth people, and we’re running cheese today, so it is official. We strongly believe in it.”

A ‘Save the Cheese Roll’ campaign was started and the revival and global fame built and built. Only a major pandemic would stop it in 2020 and 2021, returning yet again in its rather spontaneous fashion unusually on Sunday 5 June 2022 due to the Jubilee celebrations.

So since the late 90s the fame of the cheese rolling has grown perhaps as a result of its near banning; such responses often result, such that it has become festival like. Thousands of onlookers crowd the banks either side of the ‘track’ and on the hill sides below, which incidentally give a remarkable unblocked view where the chases appear to tumble like dominos down the near vertical slope. Yet despite this fame and notoriety it remains unfettered by commercialism. There are no Cheese rolling T shirts. No mugs. No merchandise at all. Plenty of people come dressed up in a cheese fashion including some rather fetching cheese hats, but there is no attempt to make money from the event. To over commercialise it bar the car parking that is perhaps! In 1996 parking nearby was relatively easy and above the hill; now all roads are blocked and attendance does require a lengthy uphill pilgrimage.

Custom survived: Egg rolling at Avenham, Preston

On this blog I have recoded the big egg rolling sites, the traditional ones which have a long surviving or revived history, however one has been conspicuous by its absence – perhaps one of the most famous ones – Preston’s Avenham egg roll. Unlike many customs were appear to know when it began, in 1867 and from the onset it appeared, like it is now to be an organised affair. An account in the Liverpool Mercury fortunately records the first one:

“I never saw the festival of Eastertide don such an air of thorough-going festivity in any town as in Preston. On Easter Sunday – a day, happily, of radiant sunshine and evenly-tempered breeze, inviting everyone to pleasant strolling – the park was full of folk, and its slopes were dotted with thousands of people broken into hundreds of happy-faced and ever-varying groups quite refreshing to look upon. But the sight of all others which had most seductive attractions for me was one which embodied what I am told was an old and long observed local custom, of a quaintly curious character. ‘The children at Eastertide are all supplied with what are called ‘pace’ eggs – eggs boiled in different dyes by which they are stained, and some very beautifully, with various colours. These eggs are taken to the park on Easter Sunday and Monday, and rolled by the youngsters against each other, for the sole purpose, so far as I could guess, of seeing which would be soonest broken. Thousands of eggs were rolled in every direction, children were everywhere laughing and capering in infantile pleasure, the elders were looking on with a more staid and demure, but not less hearty enjoyment, and altogether the scene was one of the strangest and yet most thoroughly happy and enjoyable that I have seen for years.”

It is also fortunate for being filmed early on in the history of the motion picture in 1901 and despite the formality of dress the photographer and above correspondent would still be greeted by this scene over a hundred years later, albeit only on Monday and not Sunday.

Little had changed when Brian Shuel in his 1985 National Trust Guide to Traditional Customs of Britain reported:

“Hundreds of children gather in Preston, to roll eggs down the grassy slopes of Avenham Park on Easter Monday afternoon. I am sure they have no idea why; they do not compete, or even communicate with each other, it is simply a thing to do, and whether they are Anglo-Saxon, Asians, West Indians or Chinese, the sight of these kids enthusiastically and earnestly trundling bright coloured easter eggs doen the hill until they break is really quite extraordinary.”

Indeed, Brian Shuel is correct in what he says at the end; many British customs could be accused of being rather lacking in diversity in their participation and attendance; although I appreciate it’s not intended, I did observe that everyone seemed to engage in the rolling, in its essence devoid of any obvious faith or cultural connotations.

Shuel states there is no competition but unlike other Lancashire sites there is far more organisation here. The custom has developed into a fun family day with stalls, including the obligatory face painting, and a rather impressive selection of Easter Bonnets up for judging. The roll itself is timed at regular intervals which sees the most attendees but does not mean there is no one rolling either side of it.

Egg-city day

What is particularly interested in the tenacity of this custom. The first time I attended snow lay think on the ground in some places but still there were large  crowds ready to enjoy the breaks in the sunshine.  This year, heavy rain was on the forecast and as anyone in the west will know, the forecast never likes to disappoint there. Yet despite all this, at the timed rolls and either side their were kids of all ages rolling with great glee. In fact this time there would be an added level of enjoyment as the hill itself had quickly become a mud slide. So not only did the eggs roll well but the children (and an occasional adult) running after them. Thankfully, the custom of wearing your new clothes for Easter has largely vanished, otherwise they would be even more stern words at home. However, everyone had accepted it would be muddy.

Avenham Park egg rolling has certainly changed; although the terminology Pace-eggs I still heard the locals used. These were decorated by wrapping the eggs in onion skins, boiling them which would give the shells a sort of golden mottled effect.

Egged on

One of the curiosities that seems to be only found from my experience at Avenham is the rolling of Chocolate Easter eggs, oddly to preserve them to be eaten later in a tightly tied plastic bag. This does not appear to have spread to other Lancashire sites from my observation nor in any adoption elsewhere where real eggs are the thing. Whilst it may be increasingly easier to use a chocolate egg my observation suggests that the rolls are less satisfying as is the pulverisation and explosion the eggs make as they finally succumb to the elements. Although the swinging them around by their plastic bag handle had the same satisfaction as spinning a num-chuk I would imagine. Plus there is no risk of any shells being used by those pesky Lancashire witches as was once common belief and required all shells to be crushed!

Why is egg rolling so enduring? Why does it appear to be spreading in fact? I think the answer lies in jointly a look to reviving old customs and looking for something that is fun and easy for all get to involved. Preston has certainly understood the importance of their egg rolling tradition and it seems its at no risk of being scrambled!

Custom transcribed: Polish Holy Saturday Swieconka

It is interesting as a researcher into customs and traditions is that although one naturally assumes that the custom landscape is fossilised and never changes, bar a few revivals; hovever this is far from the truth and just as commentators wrongly bemoan the loss of British customs (the revivals far outweigh those demised); it would be wrong to say that new customs do not develop or are imported from the diaspora of other nations. The Swieconka is one such custom like the Christingle or Advent crown which appears to be spreading through the churches, although unlike the later it appears to be only Roman Catholic churches for reasons which will be clear as we progress

So what are Swieconka?

Made by children, the foods within have a symbolic message and meaning. The Good Shepherd website helpfully records the interpretations of the components:

“A Yeast Cake (Babka): Reminiscent of the Risen Lord.

Colourful dyed eggs: Symbolise hope in Christ’s Resurrection and new life.

Bread: Symbolic of Jesus, the Bread of Life.

A Lamb figure: Represents The Paschal Lamb.

Horseradish: Symbolises the bitterness and harshness of the Passion of Jesus.

Salt: A necessary element of our physical life and to preserve us from corruption.

Polish Salami (Kielbasa): Indicative of God’s mercy and generosity.

Sprigs of Greenery: Represents joy in Spring and the Resurrection & finally some Spring Flowers.”

 

How far has it spread?

My first experience of the custom was at the Good Shepherd Catholic church, Arnold, where in an area of third or even fourth generation Polish settlers it has been well established and certainly dates back 30 years or older.

Nottingham and Newark have a long established Polish community and in Catholic churches the blessing of the Easter food, or  ‘Swieconka’ is undertaken. Such baskets have been done in Arnold’s Good Shepherd at least since the 1980s. A cursory enquiry on the internet suggests that it considerably widespread. From  the Immaculate conception in Clevedon Somerset to Harrogate in Yorkshire from St Mary’s Leek Staffordshire to the Ely in Cambridgeshire.

The website for Immaculate conception Clevedon, Somerset states:

“The blessing of the Easter food, or the ‘Swieconka’ is a tradition that is very dear to the heart of every Pole. Traditionally, food is brought to the church in a basket, with a linen cover, and blessed by the parish priest on Holy Saturday morning. After the blessing, the food is set aside until Easter morning when the head of the house shares blessed egg, symbol of life, with his family and friends.”

St Joseph’s Church Harrogate (North Yorkshire) states that:

“ On Holy Saturday Morning, around 130 people attended the Blessing of Easter Baskets – Święconka. Fr Stephen led the liturgy, and three young people read prayers in Polish.  It was a wonderful occasion in preparation for the celebration of Easter.”

In Essex, Witham’s Catholic church records:

“We will celebrate the polish tradition of Swieconka (sh-vee-en-soon-kah) again this year. Everyone is invited to join our polish brothers and sisters on Holy Saturday afternoon.
Baskets of Easter food will be blessed – bread and baked goods, meats and eggs. The baskets are decorated with ribbons and Easter evergreen. In gratitude to God for all His gifts and his grace the Easter food is sanctified with the hope that in the joy of the resurrection, we too will be blessed by His goodness and mercy.”

In Southampton, the tradition has attracted local press interest. In the Southern Daily Echo, the article Food blessing is new ingredient for city’s rich cultural mix 2008 records that:

“Hundreds of people from Southampton’s Polish community attended St Edmund’s Catholic Church bringing decorated baskets containing samples of tradition food to be blessed. The typical “Swieconka” basket contains hard-boiled shelled and painted eggs, bread, salt, ham, smoked sausage, horseradish, butter and cake. All of the food that was brought to the church on Saturday was decorated with spring flowers, colourful ribbons and an Easter lamb moulded from sugar or chocolate.”

A more recent adopter of the custom is St Clare’s Catholic church, Fagley, in Bradford (West Yorkshire)

“Once again, St Clare’s Fagley will celebrate Święconka – the blessing of the Easter baskets – with members of the Polish community on Holy Saturday.  This event has taken place over the past 6 years here at St Clare’s and the numbers are growing steadily – over a hundred and twenty people gathered, among them 50 children, many of whom attend our parish schools. Fr Paul Redmond, the parish priest, will lead the service of blessing with the prayers in Polish and English.”

The spread had attracted the attention of the Church times, where David Self in an 2007 article, Mass and Swieconka in the Fens states that:

“Immigrants can be both a source of revival and of new growth for parishes.”

He continues:

“In the town, there may be some typical Fen suspicion of the incomers. But the parish priest, Fr John Doman, believes they are accepted in the church partly because the congregation became used to a Polish pope, partly because the newcomers are conservative by nature, and partly because they so obviously want to be there. There was no trouble, for example, with the introduction of Swieconka, a Polish Holy Saturday service in which food-baskets are blessed.”

Which is an interesting observation. However, what is not evident yet is the tradition spreading beyond its Polish diasporan population and out of the Roman Catholic church into other denominations or even to a more secular tradition.

 

Custom demised: Lent is dead

An observer of traditions and customs would be quick to observe that never would a major feast day go by without as being an opportunity for asking door to door for food and drink: New Year’s Day, Valentines, Shrove tide, Guy Fawkes, St Thomas’s Day and the list goes on.  According to William Thom’s 1839 Anecdotes and Traditions,  this was true of Easter:

“It is the custom for the boys and girls in country schools in several parts of Oxfordshire, at their breaking up in the week before Easter, to go in a gang from house to house, with little clacks of wood, and when they come to any door, there they fall a-beating their clacks, and singing this song:

“Herrings, herrings, white and red,

Ten a penny,

Lent’s dead;

Rise, dame, and give an egg,

Or else a piece of bacon.

One for Peter, two for Paul,

Three for Jack a Lent’s all.

Away, Lent, away!”

He continues that they:

“expect from every house some eggs, or a piece of bacon, which they carry baskets to receive, and feast upon at the week’s end. At first coming to the door, they all strike up very loud, “Herrings, herrings,” &c., often repeated.”

Once receiving any largess, they would sing the following:

“Here sits a good wife,

Pray God save her life;

Set her upon a hod,

And drive her to God.”

The custom appeared to have some similarities to the surviving (just) tradition of trick or treat and mischief night. For Aubrey continues:

“But if they lose their expectation and must goe away empty, then, with a full cry,—

“Here sits a bad wife, The devil take her life; Set her upon a swivell, And send her to the devil.”

William Thom continues  and adds to this by stating that:

“And, in further indignation, they commonly cut the latch of the door, or stop the key-hole with dirt, or leave some more nasty token of displeasure.”

When the custom died out is unknown and whether it had spread beyond Oxfordshire as well. The author states it was current in Blechington, Weston and Charlton, and so perhaps was always localised.

Custom revived: Carlin Peas on Carlin sunday

“The tradition of cooking carlins is relatively unheard of today. But we still mark the occasion at Beamish, usually by cooking peas, seasoned with either salt and vinegar or sugar! See carlin pea displays at Pockerley Old Hall and The 1900s Pit Village.”

Beamish Museum website

The fifth Sunday in Lent and is known as Carlin Sunday due to its association with Carlin peas, one of the few surviving localised dishes perhaps in England – I had never heard of them until I had visited the north and read more in books on folk customs – but despite what Beamish says above is still enacted and the peas can be seen for sale in northern soups and elsewhere. In the North a saying; developed to help people remember what days were what being derived from the psalms and hymns and names of the Sundays in Lent:

“Tid, Mid, Miseray, Carlin, Palm, Pace-Egg Day”

Tid was the second Sunday when Ye Deum Laudamus was sung, Mid was third Sunday when the Mi Deus Hymn was sung, Miseray – the fourth Sunday, was when the Misere Mei Psalmwould be chanted and then Carlin, the fifth Sunday, Palm the sixth and final and Pace Egg was Easter Sunday. As the communities became separated from the Catholic doctrine it would seem only the last three would be remembered.

Give peas a chance!

So what are Carlin peas? They are dried maple peas or pigeon peas often fed to bord and used for fish bait, but somehow became a Lenten staple. The were usually soaked in salt water overnight on Friday, then on Saturday boiled in bacon fat enabling them to be eaten cold or hot on the Sunday, often being served  with a sprinkling of salt and pepper, vinegar or rum.

Two peas in a pod

So why the North only? Well, there are two origins said to why the peas were restricted to the North-east as related in Chris Lloyd in his excellent 2021 Northern Echo article “Why the North-East traditionally spends today eating dried pigeon peas.:

“This tradition may have started in 1327 when Robert the Bruce and his Scots were besieging Newcastle. The starving Novacastrians were saved on Palm Sunday when a shipload of dried peas – perhaps sailed by Captain Karlin – arrived from Norway. Fortified by the carlins, the defenders fought off the Scots who went and attacked Durham instead.

Or it may have started during the Civil War in 1644 when, from February 3 to October 27, another army of Scots besieged the Royalist forces in Newcastle. This time, Captain Karlin arrived with a boatload of peas from France to save the day”

Versions of this later story have the ship of peas wrecked or stranded at Southshields a fortnight before Easter Day, which was also in time of famine and the peas washed ashore and were eaten, the salt adding to the flavour, which is still recommended to eating it. And equally say the shop came from Canada. Despite being a North -eastern tradition it soon spread to Yorkshire and Lancashire – my first experience was at a Good Friday fair just south of Manchester..

In the 20th Century, the tradition began to die out, although it seems to have clung on in pubs. With all pubs now closed, perhaps the pandemic will kill off a North-East tradition that may be 700 years old and could have been started by Captain Karlin.

A correspondent of Notes & Queries (1st S. vol. iii. 449) tells us that on the north-east coast of England, where the custom of frying dry peas on this day is attended with much augury, some ascribe its origin to the loss of a ship freighted with peas on the coast of Northumberland. Carling is the foundation beam of a ship, or the beam on the keel.

So there is another explanation of the name. Yet another suggestion is made by Brand in his 1849 Popular. Antiquities:

“In the Roman Calendar, I find it observed on this day, that a dole is made of soft beans. I can hardly entertain a doubt but that our custom is derived from hence. It was usual among the Romanists to give away beans in the doles at funerals; it was also a rite in the funeral ceremonies of heathen Rome. Why we have substituted peas I know not, unless it was because they are a pulse somewhat fitter to be eaten at this season of the year.” Having observed from Erasmus that Plutarch held pulse (legumina) to be of the highest efficacy in invocation of the Manes, he adds: “Ridiculous and absurd as these superstitions may appear, it is quite certain that Carlings deduce their origin from thence.”

This explanation, however, is by no means regarded as satisfactory.

Pease offering

Chris Lloyd (2021) states:

“I remember when I lived in the Stokesley area, neighbours used to mention Carlin Sunday and it was something to do with eating peas on that day. I wondered if you would be able to find out more about it, please?”

He also states that they were commonly sold at fairgrounds and mobile food counters, being eaten with salt and vinegar as I had. Lloyd (2021) notes that:

“At fairgrounds, they were traditionally served in white porcelain mugs and eaten with a spoon. In more recent years, they have been served in thick white disposable cups”

And that in:

“ world famous Bury Market and in Preston, parched peas are sold ready-cooked and served in brown-paper bags or in plastic tubs.”

He also claims that:

“Consumption is limited to certain areas within the historical boundaries of  Lancashire, notably Oldham, Wigan, Bury, Rochdale, Prestob, Stalybridge, Leigh, Atherton, Tyldesley and Bolton.“

However it may have had a wider distribution. Thistleton-Dwyer’s 1836 Popular customs states:

“On this day, in the northern counties, and in Scotland, a custom obtains of eating Carlings, which are grey peas, steeped all night in water, and fried the next day with butter.”

It is indeed remembered in Ritson’s Scottish songs:

“There’ll be all the lads and lassies. Set down in the midst of the ha’, With sybows, and ryfarts, and carlings, That are bath sodden and raw.”

Whatever the truth despite a decline and apparent disappearance in the early 20^th century, carlin peas are now again sold in pubs and in food stores and carlin Sunday continues.