This list was extracted from Brian’s book, Traditional Customs of Britain, Webb & Bower, 1985, some of the events may no longer happen and dates may change for various reasons, some will not happen on Sundays for instance so you must check before quoting (or attending!) anything in this list. Not all are open to the public and some may require tickets or prior arrangement. It is reproduced here for your convenience. We do not have pictures of all these events, those we do are linked to.
1st
Kirkwall, Orkney Islands. The Ba’, a street football game also played on Christmas Day
1st
Bideford, Devon. Andrew’s Dole
1st
Oxford. Needle and Thread distribution at Queen’s College
1st
Castlemorton, Worcestershire, 6 miles south of Malvern. Winsbury Dole
First Monday in month
Saturday after 6th
Goathland, North Yorkshire, 7 miles SW of Whitby. The Plough Stots, longsword dancing
Sunday after 6th
Second weekend in month
17th
Carhampton, Somerset, 3 miles SW of Minehead. Wassailing the Apple Trees behind the Butchers Arms
New Moon after 20th (approximately)
29th or near
Guildford, Surrey. Dicing for the Maid’s Money; maidservants throw dice for annual bequest
2nd
Wotton, Surrey, 2 miles west of Dorking. Forty Shilling Day, a bequest paid to boys who can recite certain texts. (Intermittent)
Monday of Candlemas week (2nd)
Sunday nearest 2nd
Blidworth, Nottinghamshire, 4 miles SW of Mansfield. Cradle Rocking in parish church
First Sunday in month
20th or near
Aldgate, London. Sir John Cass Service which schoolgirls attend wearing red quills in their hats
Shrove Tuesday
Olney, Buckinghamshire. Pancake Race. There are many of these but this is easily the most famous
Shrove Tuesday
St Paul’s Cathedral, London. Cakes and Ale Sermon
Shrove Tuesday
Shrove Tuesday
Corfe Castle, Dorset. Annual Meeting of the Ancient Order of Purbeck Marblers and Stonecutters
Shrove Tuesday
Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday
Ashbourne, Derbys. Royal Shrovetide Football. The same on both days
Shrove Tuesday
Shrove Tuesday
Shrove Tuesday and the second Saturday following
Thursday following ‘Fastern E’en’
Mid Lent
Ufton Nervet, Berkshire, 2 miles south of Theale. Dame Elizabeth Marvyn Charity at Ufton Court
1st
Lanark, South Lanarkshire. Whuppity Scoorie is a mad race for kids around the church
14th
Goldsmiths Hall, London. The Pyx Trial at which coins from the Royal Mint are tested with ceremony
Third Thursday in month
During the month
Old Bolingbroke, Lincolnshire. Candle Auction for parish land held during Parish Council AGM
During the month
Stockbridge, Hampshire. Court Leet and Court Baron
Thursday nearest 25th
Morpeth, Northumberland. Boundary Riding
Last Sunday in the month
During April
Wirksworth, Derbyshire. Barmoot Court oversees lead mining affairs (also in October)
Palm Sunday, the one before Easter
Maundy Thursday
Maundy Thursday
Leigh, Greater Manchester. Henry Travice Charity, a more modest affair!
Good Friday
Good Friday
Alciston, East Sussex, 6 miles SE of Lewes. Good Friday Skipping
Good Friday
Liverpool Docks area. Burning Judas in the early morning. May not happen but worth looking for
Good Friday, Easter Tuesday and the following Saturday
Good Friday
Ideford, Devon, 4 miles north of Newton Abbot. Borrington Dole
Good Friday
Bromley-by-Bow, E London. The Widow’s Bun is added to the collection at the Widow’s Son, Devons Road
Easter Saturday
Easter Saturday
Easter Saturday
Easter Sunday
Radley, Oxfordshire. Church Clipping
Easter Monday
Easter Monday
Easter Monday
Easter Monday
Bourne, Lincolnshire. Running Auction in which bids are made for land while a boy runs a set distance
Easter Monday every third year
Barwick-in-Elmet, West Yorkshire, 5 miles west of Leeds. Lowering the Maypole for ritual repairs. It is raised again on Spring Bank Holiday
Tuesday after Easter
Bristol. Tuppeny Starvers distributed after service at St Michael’s
Wednesday after Easter
Keevil, Wiltshire, 4 miles east of Trowbridge. Tayler Charity
Thursday after Easter
Ratcliffe Culey, Leicestershire, a mile NE of Atherstone. Setting the Lanes at the Gate Inn is arranging grazing rights
Thursday after Easter
Reading, Berkshire. Maidservants’ Charity at St Mary’s Church House
Second Tuesday after Easter
1st
Gawthorpe, West Yorkshire, east of Dewesbury. Gawthorpe May Day
1st
Berwick upon Tweed, Northumberland. Riding the Bounds
First Saturday in the month
Knutsford, Cheshire. Royal May Day, notable for its NW Morris Dancers and ‘sanding’
First Sunday in the month
May Day Holiday Monday
Ickwell Green, Bedfordshire, 6 miles east of Bedford. Ickwell May Day
May Day Holiday Monday
Second week in the month
Etwall, Derby. Well Dressing. The first of the year; began in 1970
Second Saturday in the month
Hayes Common, Kent. May Festival
Mid-May, near Rogationtide
Chester. North-West Morris Dancing in the city centre by Manley Morris Dancers
Wednesday nearest 18th
Nearest Sunday to 21st
Meriden, West Midlands. Cyclists Memorial Service
Near the end of the month
29th, or soon after
29th or a Saturday soon after
Fownhope, Herefordshire, 5 miles SE of the city. Oak Apple Day, a Friendly Society walk
29th
Worcester. Oak Apple Day; the City Hall gates are decorated with oak branches
Late in the month
High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. Weighing the Mayor on taking office
End of the month
Endon, Staffordshire, 4 miles SW of Leek. Well Dressing one of the few outside Derbyshire
Spring Bank Holiday
Wirksworth, Derbyshire. Well Dressing, contest with 9 wells produces high standard
Spring Bank Holiday every third year
Spring Bank Holiday
Spring Bank Holiday
Headington Quarry, on the east side of Oxford, Oxfordshire. Morris Dancing in the evening
Spring Bank Holiday
Spring Bank Holiday
Bellerby, North Yorkshire, 6 miles south of Richmond. Bellerby Feast
Spring Bank Holiday
Wellow, Nottinghamshire, 10 miles NW of Newark-on-Trent. Maypole Dancing
Spring Bank Holiday
Lichfield, Staffordshire. Court of Arraye and Greenhill Bower
Spring Bank Holiday
Manchester. Whit Walks
Spring Bank Holiday
Kingsteignton, Devon. Ram Roasting Fair
Spring Bank Holiday every third year
Spring Bank Holiday
Corby, Northamptonshire. Pole Fair; a great occasion but only every twentieth year
Wednesday after Bank Holiday
Pinner, NW London. One of the great street fairs
Saturday after Bank Holiday
Ascension Day
Wicken, Northamptonshire, 2 miles SW of Stony Stratford. The Love Feast celebrates the joining of two parishes in 1587
Ascension Day
Tissington, Derbyshire, 4 miles north of Ashbourne. Well Dressing; the oldest and one of the nicest
Ascension Day
Bisley, Gloucestershire, 3 miles east of Stroud. Blessing the Well, and adorning it with garlands
Ascension Day
Lichfield, Staffordshire. Beating the Cathedral Bounds
Ascension Day
Ascension Day every third year
The Tower of London. Beating the Bounds of the Tower Liberty after Evensong
Whit Sunday
First week in month
West Linton, Borders, 14 miles south of Edinburgh. Common Riding and Whipman Play
First Thursday in month
Neston, Cheshire. Ladies Walking Day; a Friendly Society walk
Second week in month
Southwold, Suffolk. Trinity Fair
Second Wednesday in month
Friday after second Monday
Hawick, Borders. Common Riding is one of the biggest but no women allowed
Thursday between 6th and 12th
Lanark, Lanarkshire. Lanimer Day, Lanimers is like Border Common Ridings
Middle of the month
A Saturday in mid-June every Leap Year
Saturday after 19th
Abingdon, Oxfordshire. Election of the Mayor of Ock Street and Morris Dancing
Third full week in month
Selkirk, Borders. Common Riding here is oldest and biggest in the region, with up to 600 riders
Third week in month
Peebles, Borders. Beltane Festival and Common Riding
Third week in month
Melrose, Borders. Melrose Summer Festival and Common Riding
Third Saturday in month
Midsummer Eve, 23rd
Week including 24th
Dumfries, Dumfries and Galloway. ‘Guid Nychburris’ is similar to Border Common Ridings
Saturday nearest 24th
Youlgreave, Derbyshire. Well Dressing here is extremely expert and unusual
Saturday nearest 24th
Tideswell, Derbyshire. Well Dressing notable for their architectural pictures
Sunday after 24th
First Saturday following the Sunday after 24th
Winster, Derbyshire. Morris Dancing of a unique type with 16 dancers and 4 ‘characters’
Last Thursday in month
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. Cakes and Ale given to pensioners through a bequest of one Jankyn Smith
28th
Barrowden, Leicestershire, 6 miles SW of Stamford. Rushstrewing
Last Saturday in month
Bakewell, Derbyshire. Well Dressing
Friday nearest 30th
Warrington, Cheshire. Walking Day is a vast religious procession
Last week in month
Ashburton, Devon. Ale Tasting, no longer serious
Last week of the month
Galashiels, Borders. Braw Lads Gathering
Last week of the month
Newcastle upon Tyne. Fair on the Town Moor is the biggest in the North of England
First full week of the month
Duns, Borders. Reivers Week and Common Riding
First Saturday in month
Great Musgrave, Cumbria, 1½ miles west of Brough. Rushbearing
First Saturday in month
First Saturday in month
Second Wednesday in month
Second Wednesday in month
Holsworthy, Devon. Pretty Maid’s Chanty takes place in the week of St Peter’s Fair
Second Saturday in month
Jedburgh, Borders. Gallant’s Festival and Common Riding lasts two weeks with climax on this day
Middle of the month
Kelso, Borders. Common Riding
Middle of the month
Middle of the month
Tweedmouth, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland. The Salmon Feast
19th (but possibly movable)
Tuesday before the Wednesday following 19th
Honiton, Devon. ‘The Glove is Up!’, an unusual opening ceremony to the Fair
Saturday of third week in month
Durham. Miners’ Gala is a vast gathering but less than it once was
Third week in month
Innerleithen, Borders. Cleikum Ceremony and St Ronan’s Border Games
25th, every fifth year
St Ives, Cornwall. John Knill Ceremony is a bizarre event resulting from the terms of his will.
Fourth Sunday in month
Last Sunday in month
Croagh Patrick, Co Mayo. Reek Sunday. Some 15,000 pilgrims, many barefoot, climb St Patrick‘s Stack
Last Friday in month
Langholme, Dumfries and Galloway. Common Riding includes premier hound trail of the year, at 6 a.m.!
Towards the end of the month
1st or near (often before)
Thursday before first Monday in month
Ambleside, Cumbria. Ambleside Sports with all the traditional Lakeland events
Wednesday of week including 1st
First Tuesday in month
Egton Bridge, North Yorkshire, 6 miles SW of Whitby. Gooseberry Contest
First Saturday in month
Lauder, Borders. Common Riding
First Saturday in month
First Saturday in month
First full week in month
Coldstream, Borders. Common Riding with an impressive ride-out to Flodden Field. The last major Common Riding of the year
Wednesday of the first full week in the month
Saturday nearest 5th
Wednesday after 10th
Barlow, Derbyshire. Well Dressing; here whole flowers are used instead of petals
Second Friday in month
South Queensferry, Lothian. The Burry Man, one of Britain’s strangest characters
12th
Sutton, Surrey. Mary Gibson’s Legacy provides for a ceremonial annual inspection of the Gibson tomb
Monday after 12th
Wednesday nearest the 21st
Third week in month
Irvine, North Ayreshire. Marymass Fair and Races
Third Friday in month
Newport, Pembrokeshire, 7 miles east of Fishguard. Beating the Bounds
Third Saturday in month
Saturday of week including 21st
Cilgerran, Pembrokeshire, 2 miles SE of Cardigan. Coracle Races
Third Thursday after first Monday in month
24th
Gulval, Cornwall, just north of Penzance. Blessing the Mead
Saturday after 24th
Last Monday and Tuesday in month
Last Friday and Saturday in month
Saturday before August Bank Holiday
Wormhill, Derbyshire. Well Dressing
Last Sunday in month
Eyam, Derbyshire. Plague Service commemorates those who died in the Great Plague of 1665
August Bank Holiday
August Bank Holiday
1st
Colchester, Essex. Opening of the Oyster Season
Early in the month
Wednesday nearest 1st, every seventh year
Richmond, North Yorkshire. Boundary Riding 16 miles around the town
Monday and Tuesday of the first full week in the month
First Friday in the month
Monday after the first Sunday after 4th
Second Tuesday in month
Widecombe, Devon. Widecombe Fair; in the presence of Uncle Tom Cobley and all
Saturday nearest 8th
Lichfield, Staffordshire. Sheriff’s Ride is a statutory Boundary Riding
Saturday nearest 18th
Saturday nearest 18th
Lichfield, Staffordshire. Dr Johnson Commemoration
Sunday nearest 19th
Painswick, Gloucestershire. Church Clipping; children join hands and encircle the church
Last three days of the first week
First Sunday in month
First Sunday in month
7th
Twyford, Hampshire, 3 miles south of Winchester. Bellringers’ Feast
Second Sunday in month
Ashton, near Oundel, Cambridgeshire. World Conker Championships
Second Wednesday in month
Monday after 10th
Saturday nearest 23rd
Bristol. Redcliffe Pipe Walk from St Mary Redcliffe to a spring in Knowle
Late in the month
Royal Courts of Justice, London. ‘Quit Rents’ paid with ceremony to the Queen’s Remembrancer
Last Thursday in month
30th or within a few days
Area south and west of Sheffield, South Yorkshire. Caking, a very strange pub custom in which men disguise themselves and others guess who they are
30th and the two following weekends
During October
Wirksworth, Derbys. Barmoot Court oversees lead mining affairs (also in April)
Wednesday nearest 5th
Thursday nearest 5th
First Sunday in month
Second Saturday in month
Second Sunday in month
From mid-November until Christmas
First Monday in month
Sunday after 12th
Any day in the lead up to Christmas
Richmond, North Yorkshire. Poor Old Horse, a mumming play featuring an animated horse‘s skull
End of school term before Christmas
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve to New Year
Christmas Eve to Twelfth Night
Christmas Eve to Epiphany
Mallwyd, Gwynedd, and other places. Plygain, Welsh carol singing
Christmas Day
Kirkwall, Orkney. The Ba’
Boxing Day
Crookham Village, Hampshire, 5 miles west of Aldershot. Mumming Play performed outside several pubs
Boxing Day
27th
Melrose, Borders. The Mason’s Walk
New Year’s Eve
Biggar, South Lanarkshire. New Year Bonfire
New Year’s Eve
New Year’s Eve
Comrie, Tayside. Flambeaux Procession of huge flaming torches
New Year’s Eve
AT OTHER TIMES
Five Sundays in the year
Every Saturday
Woodbridge, Suffolk. John Sayer Charity
First Saturday of every month
Fern Street, East London. Farthing Bundles; now rather intermittent
Every night between Michaelmas and Shrove Tuesday
Bainbridge, North Yorkshire. The Hornblower sounds his curfew at 10p.m.
Every night
Tower of London. Ceremony of the Keys, a most impressive event which can be seen by anyone who applies to the Chief Yeoman Warder for a ticket