Friday 29 May 2015

Royal Oak Day

Royal Oak Day,
The twenty-ninth of May.
If we don't have a holiday,
We 'll all run away!

Above is a picture of a descendant of the oak tree at Boscobel House in Shropshire in which Charles II is said to have hidden.
I used to live in Wolverhampton, which is near to Boscobel (well worth a visit), and it always reminded me when we went there that when I was a child we still had a half day holiday for Royal Oak Day - a day meant to celebrate the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660.

I asked this morning at our usual Friday Coffee morning and out of the eight of us only two of us knew anything about it.

I think it has probably died out completely now (unless it survives in village or town festivals somewhere), but we had to wear a sprig of oak or risk being stung with nettles by the boys.

So many of these ancient customs have faded into antiquity - don't know whether it's a good thing or a bad thing.   What do you think?

10 comments:

donna baker said...

No nettles, please. Guess it's like getting pinched on St. Patrick's Day if you don't wear green.

Rachel Phillips said...

I have never heard of it. I don't think it matters, we all have to move on, and be modern or else we end up living in the past.

Heather said...

I have heard of Royal Oak Day but never celebrated it myself. It is a shame that so many of our old customs have died out but I suppose the weeks and months would be full of them if we observed them all.

Joanne Noragon said...

I think it's good to remember. If we don't remember our history, it's said, we're doomed to repeat it.
I didn't know of Royal Oak Day, and I like knowing about it. Rather like remembering May Day and other obscure events. I read your title and thought of "King Oaks" here, one large tree in a field and grown to such girth because it's not competing for nutrients.

angryparsnip said...

I think it is a good thing to remember all these interesting customs.
If we don't remember our history what are we.
What a beautiful tree.

cheers parsnip

Tom Stephenson said...

I think it's amazing. Thanks, Weave.

jinxxxygirl said...

Aaah part of me says we shouldn't be stuck in the past but look forward....but me... i keep glancing back... I think its important to remember our past... so much has been lost and forgotten... Does anyone sing nursery rhymes to their children any more... you know like 'I'm a little Tea Pot'..or 'Hickory,Dickory Dock'....

Terry and Linda said...

YOUR HEADER IS STUNNING! I love it! Made me think I could look out my window and be there.

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
https://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/sherlock-boomer

Cro Magnon said...

We have one magnificent Oak which I named 'The Royal Oak' in honour of The Queen's Jubilee.

Dartford Warbler said...

I had forgotten about Royal Oak Day, but your post has woken up a distant memory. Maybe we learned about it at school?

Your header photograph is just beautiful. Such a traditional scene on a Dales farm. Lovely!