Facts about Royal Oak Day Back to Facts of the Day Calendar UK Calendar dates british festivals .... folklore ... anniversaries .... on this day Royal Oak Day 29 May Royal Oak Day (Oak Apple Day) was a public holiday celebrated in England on 29 May to commemorate the restoration of the English monarchy, in May 1660. “Parliament had ordered the 29th of May, the King’s birthday, to be forever kept as a day of thanksgiving for our redemption from tyranny and the King’s return to his Government, he returning to London that day." Samuel Pepys’s Diary 1st June 1660 Commonwealth of England The English Civil War 1642-1649 was fought between the royalist forces loyal to King Charles I and the parliamentarians led by Oliver Cromwell. The Royalist were defeated at the Battle of Naseby in 1645 and Charles I was caught and executed on 30 January 1649. Cromwell declared Britain a republic 'The Commonwealth' and went on to become it's Lord Protector.

Following his death in 1658 Cromwell was succeeded briefly by his son Richard before the monarchy was restored and Charles II became king on 29 May 1660. How was Oak Apple Day marked? Oak Apple Day was a time for dancing and parties. To show their support for the monarchy, people wore sprigs of oak leaves or a sprig with an oak apple on (gall produced in oak buds by wasps). On 29 May, children would challenge each other to show their oak sprigs or apples, and those not wearing one would face some form of punishment, varying from one place to another. "Pinch-Bum-Day" - a pinch on the bottom "Nettle Day" - whipping with nettles "The wise boy wore his oak leaves, armed himselves (sic) with a stinging nettle and carried a few dock leaves for first aid just in case" Bibliography of Nottinghamshire Folk Plays & Related Customs In some areas it was necessary to wear the oak sprig only until noon; after that one was safe In the 1890s many railway engines were decorated with boughs of oak on 29 May.

Why was the Oak chosen to commemorate the return of the monarchy? It is said that King Charles' life was saved after the battle of Worcester in 1651, when he escaped from the Roundhead army by hiding in an oak tree in the grounds of Boscobel House in Staffordshire. How is Oak Apple Day celebrated today? Although the public holiday was abolished in 1859, Oak Apple Day continues to be celebrated in parts of England today. Northhampton still remembers Charles II and his escape after the battle of Worcester. The town is also grateful to Charles II, for giving the citizens one thousand tons of timber from the Royal forests of Whittlewood, after a great fire almost razed the town in 1675. A garland of oak-apples is laid at Charles II's statue each year. London too celebrates 29 May at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, which Charles founded as a home for Army pensioners. The Chelsea Pensioners parade on this day for inspection by a member of the Royal Family in honour of King Charles II.

Castleton Garland Day is held on Oak Apple Day (unless this is a Sunday when proceedings will take place on the Saturday.) It is custom that has been celebrated in Castleton for hundreds of years, originally, possibly as a fertility rite, but today it is said to commemorate the restoration of Charles II. The Garland is 3 feet high and is made from a wooden frame to which small bunches of wild flowers and leaves are tied. It is worn by a man dressed in Stuart costume Castleton Garland In Worcester, the 'Faithful City', Oak Apple Day is commemorated by decorating the entrance gate to Worcester's Guildhall with oak branches and leaves. The Oak Tree is a symbol of England The image of the Royal Oak can be pubs and hotels signs, on stamps and also on coins (£1). There have also been numerous naval ships, a train and a London underground station named ‘The Royal Oak’.

Pub Sign Llewellyn Worldwide - Spell A Day: Oak Apple Day Oak Apple Day Spell Date: Saturday, May 29, 2010 Color of the day: Brown Incense of the day: Pine Today is celebrated in the British Isles as Oak Apple Day commemorating the return of King Charles the Second after the restoration of the monarchy in 1660. It is said that he hid in the boughs of an oak tree to escape his pursuers as he made his way back into the city. But the celebration may actually date back to pre-Christian nature worship�to an ancient Pagan rite in celebration of the Garland King or Green Man. In this ritual, sprigs of oak leaves are worn or garlands of leaves gathered from the oak grove. You could create a headpiece or mask using fresh oak leaves in homage to the Garland King. You might also purchase a garland of oak leaves at the local craft store to hang in your home on this day, symbolizing the end of winter, the restoration of the king! Celebrate this ancient holiday with a draught beer and some plum pudding. But be forewarned!

It is rumored if you are spotted not wearing a sprig of oak pinned to your lapel, then someone will pinch your bum! Oddly enough, Oak Apple Day is now celebrated as Pinch Your Bum Day! This post was written by Igraine on May 29, 2010 RELATED PRODUCTS Oak Apple Day - National Awareness Days Calendar & Download 2017 Oak Apple Day This event has passed. Oak Apple Day or Royal Oak Day was a formal public holiday celebrated in England on 29 May to commemorate the restoration of the English monarchy , in May 1660. In some parts of the country the day is still celebrated and has also been known as Shick Shack Day, Oak and Nettle Day, or Arbor Tree Day. In 1660, Parliament declared 29 May a public holiday, “to be for ever kept as a day of thanksgiving for our redemption from tyranny and the King’s return to his Government, he entering London that day.” The public holiday, Oak Apple Day, was formally abolished in 1859, but the date retains some significance in local or institutional customs.

It is, for example, kept as Founder’s Day in the Royal Hospital Chelsea (founded by Charles II in 1681). Traditional celebrations to commemorate the event often entailed the wearing of oak apples (a type of plant gall , possibly known in some parts of the country as a “shick-shack”) or sprigs of oak leaves, in reference to the occasion after the Battle of Worcester in September 1651, when the future Charles II of England escaped the Roundhead army by hiding in an oak tree near Boscobel House . Anyone who failed to wear a sprig of oak risked being pelted with bird’s eggs or thrashed with nettles . In Upton Grey , after the church bells had been rung at 6 a.m. the bell-ringers used to place a large branch of oak over the church porch, and another over the lych gate. Smaller branches were positioned in the gateway of every house to ensure good luck for the rest of the year. These ceremonies, which have now largely died out, are perhaps continuations of pre- Christian nature worship .

The Garland King who rides through the streets of Castleton , Derbyshire , at the head of a procession, completely disguised in a garland of flowers, which is later affixed to a pinnacle on the parish church tower, can have little connection with the Restoration, even though he dresses in Stuart costume . He is perhaps a kind of Jack in the Green and the custom may have transferred from May Day [2] when such celebrations were permitted again after having been banned by the Puritans . Today is Oak Apple Day - 5co77ie's Blog - Festival Forums Today is Oak Apple Day 464 views Today is Oak Apple Day, used to be a a holiday celebrated in England on 29 May to commemorate the restoration of the monarchy in Britain and Ireland, in May 1660. Charles I was said to have hidden in an oak tree in 1651 in the Battle of Worcester and the oak apple became a symbol of his restoration to the monarchy. In 1660, Parliament declared 29th May a public holiday. Oak apple gall is an abnormal growth of plant cells, formed as a response to a cynipid wasp laying eggs in the leaf or stem.

These growths are called galls because they contain large amounts of tannin, which has a very bitter taste. The developing larvae live in the gall and eat from it. When the insect reaches the adult stage, it emerges from the gall through a small exit hole. Generally, galls do not seriously harm the oak tree. They may be cut off from branches, but insecticides will not work because the insect is encased and well protected inside the gall. Though Oak Apple holiday was formally abolished in 1859, traditional celebrations continued involving the wearing of oak apples or sprigs of oak leaves. Despite it being Royalist (and I'm no Royalist, but it seems many of cornwall's traditions are based in royalty, it's not the Duchy of Cornwall for nothing I am coming to realise) it's been traditional for years. Seems, I've just discovered Pepy's described as "Forever kept as a day of thanksgiving for our redemption from tyranny and the King's return to his Government." The 29th May was King Charles II's birthday. when you are meant to wear a sprig of oak.

in the olden days if you didn't do this then young boys could pinch your bottom hence is was known as Pinch-Bum Day. The Chelsea pensioners celebrate the day by drinking beer and eating plum pudding. Charles II over ruled Cromwell's ban on merry-making and invented this day for people to party. More here: But the celebration appears, as is usually case to overlay an older Pagan festival. In 1603 the villagers Wishford, Wiltshire were granted the rights to collect wood from Grovely Forest for all time. They celebrate this by marching to the forest once a year. They return with large branches of oak, chanting "Grovely, Grovely and all Grovely" and carrying a banner bearing the words "Grovely, Grovely and all Grovely. Unity is Strength!” In Cornwall and Wales, it's the time for special Oak clad Morris dancing as an ancient tradition first recorded in the reign of Elizabeth I, these ‘madde men’ with their ‘Devils dance’ were banned by the Puritans following the Civil War. Hmmm, banned and then replaced with basically the same ceremony.

In Devon and Cornwall many of the estates are open for half term activities many of which involve using oak leaves and apples. The original ceremony is as far as I can determine the Celtic feast day of 'Buryan', also known as 'Bruniec', 'the Irish Lady', Irish princess, said to have accompanied St. Piran to Cornwall from Ireland. There is a village named in her honour near to Penzance, Cornwall, England. Where traditionally miners would beg their bosses for food and beer. Which became seperated into the Celtic feast day of 'Collen', legend has it that Collen slew the evil giantess at Llangollen to save the lives of the people there, and as a sign of thanks he was made their Patron Saint. Suggested that the giantess was a metaphor for the pagan practice and beliefs often associated with such events and the mother goddess or often replaced as the dragon. Usually usurped and overlaid with new traditions and religions - pretty much copying the older ones. A metaphor for re-labelling if you will. Icidentally, Llangollen it is Believed to have travelled to Glastonbury.

Also this is the period of celebration of fruit in the Jewish calendar too, as well as other old world religions. Also, it's worth noting that the oak leaf is the symbol for Jack in the Green, although I'm unsure of his origins pre-the Roman invasion, he obviously has links to the Goddess Flora and her festival - with May Queens, Garlands and May poles. More common up country. More on the month of May here: Including historic accounts of May Poles which every village once had and the derivitive of festival the Celtic word feur. And of course Glastonbury's very own Dunstan who was an Anglo-Saxon saint; he was born a few miles from Glastonbury in Somerset, around 909AD. His father was a Wessex nobleman of royal blood. Glastonbury was a place for Christian pilgrimage and a renowned centre of learning at that time. Dunstan was educated at the Abbey before joining his uncle Athelm, Archbishop of Canterbury, at the court of King Athelstan. When Athelstan died his successor Edmund named Dunstan as Abbot of Glastonbury. Dunstan acted as a royal advisor.

In 955 however, Dunstan argued with the young King Eadwig, who confiscated Dunstan's property and exiled the monk. Dunstan was called back to England by Edgar, king of Northumbria and Mercia. Under Edgar's influence Dunstan became Bishop of Worcester, and when Eadwig died in 960, Dunstan was named Archbishop of Canterbury. Dunstan arranged the details of Edgar's coronation as king, which remains the basis of royal coronations today. When he died in 988 Dunstan became the most popular English saint of his day and his tomb became a place of pilgrimage. 29th May, a commemoration of the restoration of the monarchy in England "The wise boy wore his oak leaves, armed himselves (sic) with a stinging nettle and carried a few dock leaves for first aid just in case" – Bibliography of Nottinghamshire Folk Plays & Related Customs "I remembered too late - I was on the bus before I noticed the other boys wearing them, and it was too late to get any oak leaves (or better, an oak apple).

Other years I had raided the woods at the top of our road for some, but this year I'd somehow forgotten completely. It was indeed the wise boy who went rigged out, and I remember that one year I was ill-prepared, and suffered the slings and arrows wielded by my school chums that one year I forgot." The tradition varied around the country, but the reason was the same. Bad old Oliver Cromwell and his wicked Roundheads had lost the Civil War, his incompetent son Richard had stepped down, and the Commonwealth of England had failed. Charles II returned to England, arriving in London on 29th May, 1660, his 30th birthday. He was eventually restored to the throne, being crowned on 23 April 1661. A Holiday!

Parliament proposed an annual public holiday to commemorate this event, and set a committee in motion, to prepare a bill ...for keeping of a perpetual Anniversary, for a Day of Thanksgiving to God, for the great Blessing and Mercy he hath been graciously pleased to vouchsafe to the People of these Kingdoms, after their manifold and grievous Sufferings, in the Restoration of his Majesty, with Safety, to his People and Kingdoms: And that the Nine-and-twentieth Day of May, in every Year, being the Birth Day of his Sacred Majesty, and the Day of his Majesty's Return to his Parliament, be yearly set apart for that Purpose.† The holiday was indeed celebrated - for example, in the town of Bridgwater in Somerset, "Revels were said to have been held near Pig Cross on Oak Apple Day (29 May) until the 1830s". In 1859, the holiday (confusingly, known as Arbor Day to some) was abolished, but the spirit of it lived on in many parts of England, mostly connected with the oak tree. A Spanking! A Spanking! Or rather, the avoidance of one.

In many parts of the country, the anniversary was marked by the wearing of oak leaves, or oak apples (a gall formed where a wasp lays its eggs). Failure to comply meant that one would face some form of punishment, varying from one place to another. Those who refused to wear an oak-sprig were often set upon, and children would challenge others to show their sprig or have their bottoms pinched. Consequently, this day became known as Pinch-Bum-Day.‡ Other punishments included "scragging" (being beaten), having soil rubbed into the hair, and being whipped with nettles. The latter was the proscribed treatment in the village school of Blidworth, Nottinghamshire, as late as 1964. I know. That was the year I forgot. The Oak Connection It is said that Charles' life was saved after the Battle of Worcester in 1651, when he escaped from the Roundhead army by hiding in an oak tree in the grounds of Boscobel House in Staffordshire, hence the wearing of oak leaves to commemorate his return to the throne.

It is possible, however, that the day itself reflects another, older, pagan ceremony - the town of Castleton in Derbyshire a parade in honour of the "Garland King", who "rides through the streets of Castleton, Derbyshire, at the head of a procession, completely disguised in greenery", on this date, possibly a reference to worship of the Green Man. Whilst Oak Apple Day is no longer a public holiday, it is not yet completely forgotten. At All Saints Church in Northampton, a garland of oak-apples is still laid at Charles II's statue each year. The Chelsea Pensioners of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, also still parade on this day for inspection by a member of the Royal Family (it being "Founder's Day", in honour of King Charles II, who founded the Hospital). Oak leaves are still very much in evidence, although I doubt whether detractors still get whipped with nettles. Last weekend was Urban Lawns, Axminster - very wet and windy - the festival prevailed despite worsening conditions. A great weekend we'll be back as it was so inexpensive and would be grand in summer. Thursday is P~agan Mayan ceremony at Stonehenge! Yay! and then Wychwood Festival on Friday!

Feur season is here. 0 Oak Apple Day | Article about Oak Apple Day by The Free Dictionary Oak Apple Day | Article about Oak Apple Day by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Dictionary , Wikipedia . Shick-Shack Day (Royal Oak Day, Restoration Day) Type of Holiday: Historic Date of Observation: May 29 Where Celebrated: England Symbols and Customs: Oak Sprig Related Holidays: May Day ORIGINS Also known as Restoration Day, Shick-Shack Day commemorates the restoration of King Charles II to the throne in 1660, ending the Puritan Commonwealth that had been introduced in 1649. After his defeat by the English Parliamentarians (also known as Roundheads, because they wore their hair cut short), Charles II hid in an oak tree near Boscobel to escape the soldiers who were pursuing him. He was forced to remain there all day, unable to speak or shift his position for fear of being discovered. This event occurred in September of 1651. He was restored to the throne in 1660, much to the relief of most of the English people.

He is particularly remembered at the Royal Hospital in Chelsea, founded in 1682 as a refuge for old soldiers no longer able to earn a living. They celebrate their Founders' Day on May 29 by parading in his honor, by covering the statue of Charles II that stands in the center of the main courtyard with oak boughs, and by wearing a sprig of oak in their lapels. Although it occurs at the end of May, Shick-Shack Day has much in common with MAY DAY . Maypoles are displayed along the streets of many English villages, and people dance around them much as they do elsewhere on May 1. Young women often bathe their faces in the early morning dew, and children bring branches and blossoms in from the woods-both popular May Day customs. The Oxford English Dictionary suggests that this day takes its name from a corruption of shitsack, a derogatory name for the Nonconformists, Protestants who did not follow the doctrines and practices of the established Church of England. The term was later applied to anyone who didn't wear an oak leaf or oak-apple in memory of Charles II on May 29, and nowadays refers to the OAK SPRIG itself.

Shick-Shack Day is a holiday that commemorates a significant historical event. Peoples throughout the world commemorate such significant events in their histories through holidays and festivals. Often, these are events that are important for an entire nation and become widely observed. The marking of such anniversaries serves not only to honor the values represented by the person or event commemorated, but also to strengthen and reinforce communal bonds of national, cultural, or ethnic identity. Victorious, joyful, and traumatic events are remembered through historic holidays. The commemorative expression reflects the original event through festive celebration or solemn ritual. Reenactments are common activities at historical holiday and festival gatherings, seeking to bring the past alive in the present. There are a number of local names for Shick-Shack Day. In some areas it is known as Oak Apple Day because people wear oak-apples as well as sprigs of oak leaves, Shick-Shack Day and children gather twigs with oak-apples still attached and try to sell them in the streets.

In the town of Ulverston, it is known as Bobby Ack Day-"bobby" referring to the knob-like oak-apple, and "ack" representing an older pronunciation of "oak." In other towns it is called Nettle Day, because children punish those who forget to wear an oak sprig by pushing them into a bed of nettles. "The Royal Oak" is one of the most popular names for pubs in England today. The signs usually show Charles II peering through the leaves of an oak tree, looking more like a boy who's been caught stealing apples than a king escaping his enemies. SYMBOLS AND CUSTOMS Oak Sprig The sprig of oak worn by people on Shick-Shack Day is a symbol of the oak tree that concealed King Charles II when he was under attack by the Roundheads. The oak sprig also recalls the king himself, who was one of the most popular English monarchs and is still remembered for his many good deeds. FURTHER READING Chambers, Robert. The Book of Days. 2 vols. 1862-64. Reprint. Detroit: Omnigraphics, 1990. Dunkling, Leslie. A Dictionary of Days.

New York: Facts on File, 1988. Henderson, Helene, ed. Holidays, Festivals, and Celebrations of the World Dictionary. 3rd ed. Detroit: Omnigraphics, 2005. Hole, Christina. English Custom & Usage. 1941. Reprint. Detroit: Omnigraphics, 1990. MacDonald, Margaret R., ed. The Folklore of World Holidays. Detroit: Gale Research, 1992. WEB SITE BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) Shick-Shack Day (Shik-Shak Day, Shicsack Day, Shig-Shag Day) May 29 The Oxford English Dictionary suggests that this day takes its name from a corruption of shitsack, a derogatory term for the Nonconformists, Protestants who did not follow the doctrines and practices of the established Church of England. It was later applied to those who did not wear the traditional sprig of oak on May 29, or Royal Oak Day —the birthday of Charles II and the day in 1660 on which he made his triumphal entry into London as king after a 12-year interregnum.

The association of Charles II (1630-1685) and the oak tree dates back to 1651 when, after being defeated by Oliver Cromwell in battle, legend has it he took refuge from his pursuers in an oak tree behind a house known as Boscobel. Shick-shack has since become synonymous with the oak-apple or sprig of oak itself, and May 29 is celebrated—particularly in rural areas of England—in memory of the restoration of King Charles and his preservation in the Royal Oak. Also called Oak Apple Day, Oak Ball Day, Bobby Ack Day, Yack Bob Day, Restoration Day, or Nettle Day . SOURCES: Oak Apple Day - BOOK OF DAYS TALES BOOK OF DAYS TALES May 292014 Today is Oak Apple Day or Royal Oak Day, which was once a formal public holiday celebrated in England on 29 May to commemorate the restoration of the English monarchy, in May 1660.

In 1660, Parliament declared 29 May a public holiday: Parliament has ordered the 29 of May, the King’s birthday, to be for ever kept as a day of thanksgiving for our redemption from tyranny and the King’s return to his Government, he entering London that day. This statute should also remind us, therefore, that today we celebrate the birthday of Charles II whose restoration as monarch gives rise to the era of the Restoration – noted for the re-opening of the theaters with their bawdy and rakish comedies; literature that includes such masterpieces as Paradise Lost and The Pilgrim’s Progress; the founding of the Royal Society ushering in a great age of science in England (whose masters such as Robert Hooke and Robert Boyle have pages in this blog); magnificent architecture, with Christopher Wren as the great exemplar; and a style in the decorative arts noted for incredible skill and opulence, Grinling Gibbons being the undisputed master in carving.

Traditional celebrations to commemorate the event often entailed the wearing of oak apples (a type of plant gall), or sprigs of oak leaves, in reference to the occasion after the Battle of Worcester in September 1651, when the future Charles II of England escaped the Roundhead army by hiding in an oak tree near Boscobel House. It is reported that anyone who failed to wear a sprig of oak risked being pelted with birds’ eggs or thrashed with nettles. Because of the famous event, the term Royal Oak was adopted, and still used, by a host of companies and institutions. The Royal Oak is one of the most common pub names throughout England. The Royal Oak in Oxford was a favorite haunt for my pals in my undergraduate days, and remains so for those who still live there. Royal Oak lunches were classics of traditional English pub food (more later). The public holiday, Oak Apple Day, was formally abolished in 1859, but the date retains some significance in local or institutional customs. It is kept as Founder’s Day in the Royal Hospital Chelsea, founded by Charles II in 1681 as a pension home for old soldiers (a service it still retains).

Here you see them on formal parade wearing oak sprigs in memory of Charles. In other parts of the country the day is still celebrated in some way or another, but modern celebrations are not usually associated with original Oak Apple Day customs, they just happen to fall on the same day. In Castleton in Derbyshire, for example, the Garland King rides through the streets on Oak Apple Day at the head of a procession, completely disguised in a garland of flowers, which is later affixed to a pinnacle on the parish church tower. There is no reference to Charles or oak sprigs, however. On this day in Great Wishford in Wiltshire villagers claim their ancient rights to collect wood from Grovely Wood. This tradition is said to date back to 1603, when the charter of rights to collect wood in the Royal Forest of Groveley was confirmed by the Forest Court. The rights themselves date back several centuries before 1603.

The events of a modern Oak Apple Day include a “band” waking the villagers in the early hours of the morning, gathering oak branches from the woods at dawn, a village breakfast in the local pub (Royal Oak), then on to Salisbury, where there is dancing outside the Cathedral followed by claiming rights inside the cathedral by shouting “Grovely, Grovely, Grovely, and all Grovely.” Although the charter requires just three ‘Grovely’s,’ tradition demands four – “three for the charter and one for us,” as it’s usually expressed. In the afternoon there is a formal meal, and other events for villagers in Oak Apple Field. Folklorists, myself included, strongly believe that this whole affair is a late-19th century invention based on an old charter that predates the Restoration, with symbolic inventions to link the charter with Oak Apple Day. Oak Apple Day is also celebrated in the Cornish village of St Neot annually. The Vicar leads a procession through the village, he is followed by the Tower Captain holding the Oak bough. A large number of the villagers follow walking to the Church. A story of the history of the event is told and then the Vicar blesses the branch.

The Tower Captain throws the old branch down from the top of the Tower and a new one is hauled to the top. Everyone is then invited to the Vicarage gardens for refreshments and a barbecue. Up to 12 noon villagers wear a sprig of “red” (new) oak and in the afternoon wear a sprig of “Boys Love” Artemisia abrotanum; tradition dictates that the punishment for not doing this results in being stung by nettles. This too, I believe, is a relatively modern invention. Now, back to pub lunches. Modern pub food has little to do with traditional pub food as it is thought of by people my age. Nowadays a great many pubs are little more than conventional restaurants situated in old pubs which provide an attractive setting for fancy dining rooms where people once sat and drank (and talked a lot of course). The food these days can be just about anything, and is served for lunch and dinner. The changeover began in the 1970’s as pubs began dramatically losing business for a host of reasons including rapidly escalating prices of beer and the costs of maintaining older buildings.

However, it was common in the 1950’s and 60’s to have a very small menu at lunchtime, in some cases just one item made by the landlady, (and nothing in the evening). I have already waxed lyrical on steak and kidney pies lovingly made in my two favorite pubs. Common fare would be bangers and mash, shepherd’s pie, steak and kidney pudding, and the ubiquitous ploughman’s lunch. For a quickie you could get a Scotch egg or a pork pie. Here I will focus on the ploughman’s lunch. The ploughman’s lunch is so named because it was what farm laborers took into the fields each day for their midday meal – a big hunk of bread and cheese. This would have been a satisfying meal because the bread was home baked and the cheese was locally produced as well. Furthermore they took large hunks of both. The idea was picked up by pubs wanting to offer something quick and without using a kitchen. But the pub version was usually a pallid offering in comparison with what ploughmen were used to.

You’d probably get a slice or two of factory bread, a lump of indifferent supermarket cheese, and a knob of butter, which you could probably supplement with a pickled onion (at extra cost). Not much of a lunch, but in many pubs it was that or nothing. But then in the late 60’s and early 70’s there was a revolution. It was a revolution that occurred steadily over all England as people developed an interest in regional farm products, especially cheeses, that had virtually disappeared under the ravages of two world wars and an economic depression. Cheeses, such as Dorset Blue Vinney, Swaledale, and White Stilton, which were once found in history books only or were very rare, started appearing in stores countrywide. Furthermore, the nasty mass produced cheeses of old, especially Cheddar, could now be found in their upgraded farm-made forms of long ago. The British Cheese Board states that “there are over 700 named British cheeses produced in the UK.” 700 !!!! Take that France.

For a list go here: Learn and talk about Oak Apple Day, 1660 establishments in England, 1859 disestablishments in England, Apple festivals, English folklore Frequency annual The Garland King and his consort at Castleton, Derbyshire, on an Oak Apple Day in the 1970s Oak Apple Day or Royal Oak Day was a formal public holiday celebrated in England on 29 May to commemorate the restoration of the English monarchy , in May 1660. In some parts of the country the day is still celebrated. It has also been known as Shick Shack Day or Oak and Nettle Day. [1] In 1660, Parliament declared 29 May a public holiday, "to be for ever kept as a day of thanksgiving for our redemption from tyranny and the King's return to his Government, he entering London that day." [2] The public holiday, Oak Apple Day, was formally abolished by the Anniversary Days Observance Act 1859 , but the date retains some significance in local or institutional customs. It is, for example, kept as Founder's Day in the Royal Hospital Chelsea , which was founded by Charles II in 1681.

Contents Ceremonies[ edit ] Traditional celebrations to commemorate the event often entailed the wearing of oak apples (a type of plant gall , possibly known in some parts of the country as a "shick-shack") or sprigs of oak leaves, in reference to the occasion after the Battle of Worcester in September 1651, when Charles II escaped the Roundhead army by hiding in an oak tree near Boscobel House . Anyone who failed to wear a sprig of oak risked being pelted with bird's eggs or thrashed with nettles . [1] In Sussex , those not wearing oak were liable to be pinched , giving rise to the unofficial name of "Pinch- bum Day"; similarly it was known as "Bumping Day" in Essex . [3] In Upton Grey , Hampshire, after the church bells had been rung at 6 a.m. the bell-ringers used to place a large branch of oak over the church porch, and another over the lych gate. Smaller branches were positioned in the gateway of every house to ensure good luck for the rest of the year. [4] These ceremonies, which have now largely died out, are perhaps continuations of pre- Christian nature worship .

The Garland King who rides through the streets of Castleton , Derbyshire, at the head of a procession, completely disguised in a garland of flowers which is later affixed to a pinnacle on the parish church tower, can have little connection with the Restoration, even though he dresses in Stuart costume . He is perhaps a kind of Jack in the Green and the custom may have transferred from May Day [1] when such celebrations were permitted again after having been banned by the Puritans . Modern events[ edit ] Events still take place at Upton-upon-Severn in Worcestershire, Aston on Clun in Shropshire, Marsh Gibbon in Buckinghamshire, Great Wishford in Wiltshire (when villagers gather wood in Grovely Wood ), and Membury in Devon. The day is generally marked by re-enactment activities at Moseley Old Hall , West Midlands, one of the houses where Charles II hid in 1651. Fownhope , Hereford have an ongoing tradition in the celebration of Oak Apple Day.

The Fownhope Heart of Oak Society organize an annual event, where members of the society gather at the local pub and march through the village holding flower and oak leaf decorated sticks, whilst following the society banner and a brass band. The march goes first to the church for a service, and then to houses who host refreshments. The Heart of Oak Society was previously a friendly society , but had to reform in 1989 to keep the tradition going. Although Oak Apple Day celebrations have decreased in popularity and knowledge, Fownhope has managed to keep the event going, increasing in popularity and turn-out every year. At All Saints' Church, Northampton a statue of Charles II is wreathed at noon every Oak Apple Day, followed by a celebration of the Holy Communion according to the Book of Common Prayer . At some Oxford and Cambridge colleges a toast is still drunk to celebrate Oak Apple Day.[ citation needed ] Oak Apple Day is also celebrated in the Cornish village of St Neot annually. The Vicar leads a procession through the village, he is followed by the Tower Captain holding the Oak bough. A large number of the villagers follow walking to the Church.

A story of the history of the event is told and then the Vicar blesses the branch. The Tower Captain throws the old branch down from the top of the tower and a new one is hauled to the top. Everyone is then invited to the vicarage gardens for refreshments and a barbecue. Up to 12 noon villagers wear a sprig of "red" (new) oak and in the afternoon wear a sprig of "Boys Love" (Artemisia abrotanum) ; tradition dictates that the punishment for not doing this results in being stung by nettles. Original courtesy of Wikipedia: — Please support Wikipedia. This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia . A portion of the proceeds from advertising on Digplanet goes to supporting Wikipedia. We're sorry, but there's no news about "Oak Apple Day" right now. Limit to books that you can completely read online Include partial books (book previews) Oops, we seem to be having trouble contacting Twitter Support Wikipedia A portion of the proceeds from advertising on Digplanet goes to supporting Wikipedia. Please add your support for Wikipedia! Searchlight Group Digplanet also receives support from Searchlight Group.

Visit Searchlight Copyright © 2009-2016 Digparty. All rights reserved. Restoration (England) - iSnare Free Encyclopedia Restoration (England) "The Restoration" redirects here. For the 1910 American silent film, see The Restoration (1910 film) . For details of the Scottish, Irish and colonial restorations, see Restoration (1660) . King Charles II, the first monarch to rule after the English Restoration. e The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English , Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms . The term Restoration is used to describe both the actual event by which the monarchy was restored, and the period of several years afterwards in which a new political settlement was established. [1] It is very often used to cover the whole reign of Charles II (1660–1685) and often the brief reign of his younger brother James II (1685–1688).

[2] In certain contexts it may be used to cover the whole period of the later Stuart monarchs as far as the death of Queen Anne and the accession of the Hanoverian George I in 1714; [3] for example Restoration comedy typically encompasses works written as late as 1710. Contents 11 External links The Protectorate The Commonwealth , which preceded the English Restoration, might have continued if Oliver Cromwell 's son Richard , who was made Lord Protector on his father's death, had been capable of carrying on his father's policies. Richard Cromwell's main weakness was that he did not have the confidence of the army. After seven months, an army faction known as the Wallingford House party removed him on 6 May 1659 and reinstalled the Rump Parliament . [4] Charles Fleetwood was appointed a member of the Committee of Safety and of the Council of State , and one of the seven commissioners for the army. On 9 June 1659, he was nominated lord-general (commander-in-chief) of the army.

However, his leadership was undermined in Parliament, which chose to disregard the army's authority in a similar fashion to the post-First Civil War Parliament. A royalist uprising was planned for 1 August 1659, but it was foiled. However, Sir George Booth gained control of Cheshire; Charles II hoped that with Spanish support he could effect a landing, but none was forthcoming. [5] Booth held Cheshire until the end of August when he was defeated by General Lambert . The Commons , on 12 October 1659, cashiered General John Lambert and other officers, and installed Fleetwood as chief of a military council under the authority of the Speaker . [6] The next day Lambert ordered that the doors of the House be shut and the members kept out. On 26 October a "Committee of Safety" was appointed, of which Fleetwood and Lambert were members. Lambert was appointed major-general of all the forces in England and Scotland, Fleetwood being general. [6] The Committee of Safety sent Lambert with a large force to meet George Monck , who was in command of the English forces in Scotland, and either negotiate with him or force him to come to terms.

[6] It was into this atmosphere that Monck, the governor of Scotland under the Cromwells, marched south with his army from Scotland. Lambert's army began to desert him, and he returned to London almost alone. Monck marched to London unopposed. The Presbyterian members, excluded in Pride's Purge of 1648, were recalled, and on 24 December the army restored the Long Parliament . [6] Fleetwood was deprived of his command and ordered to appear before Parliament to answer for his conduct. On 3 March 1660, Lambert was sent to the Tower of London , from which he escaped a month later. He tried to rekindle the civil war in favour of the Commonwealth by issuing a proclamation calling on all supporters of the " Good Old Cause " to rally on the battlefield of Edgehill, but he was recaptured by Colonel Richard Ingoldsby , a participant in the regicide of Charles I who hoped to win a pardon by handing Lambert over to the new regime.

[6] Lambert was incarcerated and died in custody on Drake's Island in 1684; Ingoldsby was indeed pardoned.[ citation needed ] Restoration of Charles II The departure of Charles II from Scheveningen, 1660 On 4 April 1660, Charles II issued the Declaration of Breda , in which he made several promises in relation to the reclamation of the crown of England. Monck organised the Convention Parliament , which met for the first time on 25 April. On 8 May it proclaimed that King Charles II had been the lawful monarch since the execution of Charles I on 30 January 1649. [7] "Constitutionally, it was as if the last nineteen years had never happened." [8] Charles returned from exile, leaving The Hague on 23 May and landing at Dover on 25 May. [9] He entered London on 29 May, his birthday. To celebrate his Majesty's Return to his Parliament, 29 May was made a public holiday, popularly known as Oak Apple Day . [10] He was crowned at Westminster Abbey on 23 April 1661.

[9] Some contemporaries described the Restoration as "a divinely ordained miracle." The sudden and unexpected deliverance from usurpation and tyranny was interpreted as a restoration of the natural and divine order". [11] The Cavalier Parliament convened for the first time on 8 May 1661, and it would endure for over 17 years, finally being dissolved on 24 January 1679. Like its predecessor, it was overwhelmingly Royalist . It is also known as the Pensionary Parliament for the many pensions it granted to adherents of the King. The leading political figure at the beginning of the Restoration was Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon . It was the "skill and wisdom of Clarendon" which had "made the Restoration unconditional". [12] Many Royalist exiles returned and were rewarded. Prince Rupert of the Rhine returned to the service of England, became a member of the privy council , and was provided with an annuity. George Goring, 1st Earl of Norwich , returned to be the Captain of the King's guard and received a pension. Marmaduke Langdale returned and was made " Baron Langdale ".

William Cavendish , Marquess of Newcastle, returned and was able to regain the greater part of his estates. He was invested in 1666 with the Order of the Garter (which had been bestowed upon him in 1650), and was advanced to a dukedom on 16 March 1665. Commonwealth regicides and rebels The Indemnity and Oblivion Act , which became law on 29 August 1660, pardoned all past treason against the crown, but specifically excluded those involved in the trial and execution of Charles I . 31 of the 59 commissioners (judges) who had signed the death warrant in 1649 were living. In the ensuing trials, twelve were condemned to death. Fifth Monarchist Thomas Harrison , the first person found guilty of regicide, who had been the seventeenth of the 59 commissioners to sign the death warrant, was the first regicide to be hanged, drawn and quartered because he was considered by the new government still to represent a real threat to the re-established order.

In October 1660, at Charing Cross or Tyburn , London, ten were publicly hanged, drawn and quartered: Thomas Harrison, John Jones , Adrian Scroope , John Carew , Thomas Scot , and Gregory Clement , who had signed the king's death warrant; the preacher Hugh Peters ; Francis Hacker and Daniel Axtell , who commanded the guards at the king's trial and execution; and John Cooke , the solicitor who directed the prosecution. Oliver Cromwell , Henry Ireton , Judge Thomas Pride , and Judge John Bradshaw were posthumously attainted for high treason. Because Parliament is a court, the highest in the land, a bill of attainder is a legislative act declaring a person guilty of treason or felony, in contrast to the regular judicial process of trial and conviction. In January 1661, the corpses of Cromwell, Ireton and Bradshaw were exhumed and hanged in chains at Tyburn . In 1661 John Okey , one of the regicides who signed the death warrant of Charles I, was brought back from Holland along with Miles Corbet , friend and lawyer to Cromwell, and John Barkstead , former constable of the Tower of London .

They were all imprisoned in the Tower. From there they were taken to Tyburn and hanged, drawn and quartered on 19 April 1662. A further 19 regicides were imprisoned for life. John Lambert was not in London for the trial of Charles I. At the Restoration, he was found guilty of high treason and remained in custody in Guernsey for the rest of his life. Sir Henry Vane the Younger served on the Council of State during the Interregnum even though he refused to take the oath which expressed approbation (approval) of the King's execution. At the Restoration, after much debate in Parliament, he was exempted from the Indemnity and Oblivion Act. In 1662 he was tried for high treason, found guilty and beheaded on Tower Hill on 14 June 1662. Regrant of certain Commonwealth titles Further information: Knights, baronets and peers of the Protectorate The Instrument of Government , The Protectorate 's written constitutions, gave to the Lord Protector the King's power to grant titles of honour. Over 30 new knighthoods were granted under the Protectorate.

These knighthoods passed into oblivion upon the Restoration of Charles II, however many were regranted by the restored King. Of the eleven Protectorate baronetcies , two had been previously granted by Charles I during the Civil War — but under Commonwealth legislation they were not recognised under the Protectorate (hence the Lord Protector's regranting of them), however when that legislation passed into oblivion these two baronets were entitled to use the baronetcies granted by Charles I — and Charles II regranted four more. Only one now continues: Sir Richard Thomas Willy , 14th baronet, is the direct successor of Sir Griffith Williams. Of the remaining Protectorate baronets one, Sir William Ellis , was granted a knighthood by Charles II. Edmund Dunch was created Baron Burnell of East Wittenham in April 1658, but this barony was not regranted. The male line failed in 1719 with the death of his grandson, also Edmund Dunch , so no one can lay claim to the title.

The one hereditary viscountcy Cromwell created for certain, [a] (making Charles Howard Viscount Howard of Morpeth and Baron Gilsland) continues to this day. In April 1661, Howard was created Earl of Carlisle , Viscount Howard of Morpeth, and Baron Dacre of Gillesland. The present Earl is a direct descendant of this Cromwellian creation and Restoration recreation. Venner rebellion (January 1661) On 6 January 1661, about 50 Fifth Monarchists , headed by a wine-cooper named Thomas Venner , tried to gain possession of London in the name of "King Jesus". Most were either killed or taken prisoner; on 19 and 21 January 1661, Venner and 10 others were hanged, drawn and quartered for high treason . Religious settlement The Church of England was restored as the national Church in England, backed by the Clarendon Code and the Act of Uniformity 1662 . People reportedly "pranced around May poles as a way of taunting the Presbyterians and Independents" and "burned copies of the Solemn League and Covenant ".

[13] Restoration Britain Historian Roger Baker argues that the Restoration and Charles' coronation mark a reversal of the stringent Puritan morality, "as though the pendulum [of England's morality] swung from repression to licence more or less overnight." [14] Theatres reopened after having been closed during the protectorship of Oliver Cromwell , Puritanism lost its momentum, and the bawdy " Restoration comedy " became a recognisable genre. In addition, women were allowed to perform on the commercial stage as professional actresses for the first time. In Scotland , Episcopacy was reinstated. To celebrate the occasion and cement their diplomatic relations, the Dutch Republic presented Charles with the Dutch Gift , a fine collection of old master paintings, classical sculptures, furniture, and a yacht. End of the Restoration Equestrian portrait of William III by Jan Wyck , commemorating the start of the Glorious Revolution in 1688 The Glorious Revolution ended the Restoration. The Glorious Revolution which overthrew King James II of England was propelled by a union of English Parliamentarians with the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau (William of Orange).

William's successful invasion of England with a Dutch fleet and army led to his accession to the English throne as William III of England jointly with his wife Mary II of England, James' daughter. In April 1688, James re-issued the Declaration of Indulgence and ordered all Anglican clergymen to read it to their congregations. When seven bishops, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, submitted a petition requesting the reconsideration of the King's religious policies, they were arrested and tried for seditious libel. On 30 June 1688, a group of seven Protestant nobles invited the Prince of Orange to come to England with an army; by September it became clear that William would invade England. When William arrived on 5 November 1688, James lost his nerve, declined to attack the invading Dutch and tried to flee to France. He was captured in Kent; later, he was released and placed under Dutch protective guard. Having no desire to make James a martyr, William, Prince of Orange , let him escape on 23 December. James was received in France by his cousin and ally, Louis XIV , who offered him a palace and a pension.

William convened a Convention Parliament to decide how to handle the situation. While the Parliament refused to depose James, they declared that James, having fled to France had effectively abdicated the throne, and that the throne was vacant. To fill this vacancy, James's daughter Mary was declared Queen; she was to rule jointly with her husband William, Prince of Orange , who would be king. The English Parliament passed the Bill of Rights of 1689 that denounced James for abusing his power. The abuses charged to James included the suspension of the Test Acts , the prosecution of the Seven Bishops for merely petitioning the crown, the establishment of a standing army, and the imposition of cruel punishments. The bill also declared that henceforth no Roman Catholic was permitted to ascend the English throne, nor could any English monarch marry a Roman Catholic. See also

Question: Oak Apple Day , commemorating the restoration of the monarchy to England in 1660 , is on which date ?
Answer: 29th MAY