Once I was a clever boy learning the arts of Oxford... is a quotation from the verses written by Bishop Richard Fleming (c.1385-1431) for his tomb in Lincoln Cathedral. Fleming, the founder of Lincoln College in Oxford, is the subject of my research for a D. Phil., and, like me, a son of the West Riding. I have remarked in the past that I have a deeply meaningful on-going relationship with a dead fifteenth century bishop... it was Fleming who, in effect, enabled me to come to Oxford and to learn its arts, and for that I am immensely grateful.


Sunday, 24 December 2023

Twelve Days of Christmas - traditional customs


Tomorrow with Christmas Day we begin the Twelve Days of Christmas until Twelfth Night.

Whilst researching for another post on this blog piece I happened upon Popular Superstitions of the Winter Season: 1840 This is the text of an article from 1840 which records a number of English and particularly Scottish customs and traditions from these festive days.

Seventeenth century practice is outlined in a series of posts from the Earl of Manchester’s Regiment of Foote. These can be seen at Celebrate the 12 Days of a 17th Century Christmas!, though I must give a spoiler alert that I shall be posting about Boy Bishops and linking to the article about them on that site in a few days.


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