*Ø* Blogmanac March 2 | Them durn chads again
David and Chad
Sow peas, good or bad.
English traditional proverb: sow peas regardless of weather, today and St David's Day (yesterday)
Feast day of St Chad (Ceadda), bishop of Lichfield
(Dwarf cerastium, Cerastium pumilum, is today's plant, dedicated to this saint)
Ceadda was actually a pre-Christian deity of healing springs and holy wells. His symbol was Crann Bethadh, the tree of life ...
St Chad lore for wells and fountains
Today is the day to clean and groom holy wells and fountains, known in Britain as well-dressing.
Other days include Ascension Day, when in places such as Lichfield in England, villagers walked around the boundaries of the cathedral precinct area, carrying elm boughs and beating the eight places where wells had once been or still were present. In some places, such as Wirksworth, England, Pentecost Day was a day for well dressing.
Wells traditionally have mystical significance. Even today, wishing wells are common in parks and even may be found in shopping malls. Ancient Britain gives us many well customs. The first water drawn from a well on January 1 is supposed to bring fortune and happiness, and is called 'the cream of the well'. It is customary to leave petals floating on the water. The wells at Wark, in Northumberland, UK, are supposed to have magical powers on New Year's Day. In Wales, drawing fresh spring water as a New Year's Day custom might have survived at the town of Tenby as late as the 1950s.
It was believed by the Druids of Britain that when a new spring or well bubbled up, its location was like a bridge or doorway to eternity, and eternal life that may sometimes be had by drinking of the waters there (cf, baptism). The Chalice Well, at Glastonbury, England (the Avalon of King Arthur) is one such sacred site ... (more well lore)
This is just a snippet of today's stories. Read all about today in folklore, historical oddities, inspiration and alternatives at the Wilson's Almanac Book of Days, every day. Click today's date when you're there.
David and Chad
Sow peas, good or bad.
English traditional proverb: sow peas regardless of weather, today and St David's Day (yesterday)
Feast day of St Chad (Ceadda), bishop of Lichfield
(Dwarf cerastium, Cerastium pumilum, is today's plant, dedicated to this saint)
Ceadda was actually a pre-Christian deity of healing springs and holy wells. His symbol was Crann Bethadh, the tree of life ...
St Chad lore for wells and fountains
Today is the day to clean and groom holy wells and fountains, known in Britain as well-dressing.
Other days include Ascension Day, when in places such as Lichfield in England, villagers walked around the boundaries of the cathedral precinct area, carrying elm boughs and beating the eight places where wells had once been or still were present. In some places, such as Wirksworth, England, Pentecost Day was a day for well dressing.
Wells traditionally have mystical significance. Even today, wishing wells are common in parks and even may be found in shopping malls. Ancient Britain gives us many well customs. The first water drawn from a well on January 1 is supposed to bring fortune and happiness, and is called 'the cream of the well'. It is customary to leave petals floating on the water. The wells at Wark, in Northumberland, UK, are supposed to have magical powers on New Year's Day. In Wales, drawing fresh spring water as a New Year's Day custom might have survived at the town of Tenby as late as the 1950s.
It was believed by the Druids of Britain that when a new spring or well bubbled up, its location was like a bridge or doorway to eternity, and eternal life that may sometimes be had by drinking of the waters there (cf, baptism). The Chalice Well, at Glastonbury, England (the Avalon of King Arthur) is one such sacred site ... (more well lore)
This is just a snippet of today's stories. Read all about today in folklore, historical oddities, inspiration and alternatives at the Wilson's Almanac Book of Days, every day. Click today's date when you're there.
Pip Wilson posted item above at 3:22 PM | Permalink
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home