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Old English Sports, Pastimes and Customs

By P. H. Ditchfield
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History - BritishHistory - OtherSports/Hobbies

About This Book

A month-by-month survey of rural English festival customs and popular games traces how seasonal holy days and village feasts shaped communal recreation. It describes traditional entertainments, from winter wassailing and Twelfth Night observances through spring archery and Easter play to May-day dancing, Whitsun ales, summer games such as cricket and trap-ball, and harvest and winter entertainments including fairs, mummers, tournaments, and indoor pastimes. Regional variants, ritual links with parish observances, and the social functions of these amusements receive attention. The author cites antiquarian sources and suggests that some of the best features of old village life might be revived.

About the Author

Ditchfield, P. H. portrait

P. H. Ditchfield

P. H. Ditchfield was an English author known for his diverse contributions to literature, particularly in the realms of history and culture. His notable works include "Books Fatal to Their Authors," which explores the intriguing tales of writers whose lives ended tragically, and "Vanishing England," a reflection on the changing landscape of English society. Ditchfield also delved into local customs and traditions in "Old English Sports, Pastimes and Customs," and provided insights into architectural history with "The Cathedrals of Great Britain: Their History and Architecture." His writings often blend historical narrative with cultural commentary, making him a significant figure in the exploration of English heritage.

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