The feast was particularly anticipated because it marked the end of the ‘hungry gap’, the time of year when food stocks were at their lowest, just before new produce was available at harvest time.
The Origins of Lammas Day
The feast of Lammas, celebrated on 1 or 2 August, is believed to date back to the reign of King Alfred of Wessex, in the ninth century. It began with a tradition in which the first loaves baked from the harvest were blessed in church, to celebrate the safely gathered crops. However, pre-Christian communities also followed the practice of giving thanks to their gods for the new harvest.
The bringing in of the harvest was a true celebration for medieval communities. Right up until the day when the crops were harvested, a terrible disease or storm could blight the crops within hours and leave the community destitute until the next harvest.
The Importance of the Harvest in Medieval Times
When it was time to bring in the harvest, most members of the community played their part. Whatever occupation each person followed for the rest of the year, everyone’s labour was needed for the important harvest weeks.
The crops were gathered and bound, then loaded up to be stored indoors. Any failure in the process could literally mean a food shortage or even famine. On the other hand, a good harvest could lead to surplus produce to sell on outside the community.
When the first crops were safely in, the uncertainty about food was over for another year and Lammas Day celebrations could really be enjoyed.
The festival had a strong religious element of thanksgiving and the first loaves of the harvest were brought into church, which may explain the word ‘lammas’, meaning ‘loaf Mass’.
Following the formalities of presenting the loaves, the community celebrations would continue in parties and gift giving. In some areas, there was a candlelit procession with the loaves and some of the bread would be saved to provide good fortune for the next harvest.
Medieval Rituals and Superstitions Attached to Lammas Day
There are many rituals and superstitions attached to the Lammas feast, some of which appear to be pagan in origin. The corn dolly was a figure made from the first straw of harvest, which was stored during the winter and buried with the first planting of the new growing season.
Another tradition was for the first loaf of the harvest to be allowed to go stale and then scattered around the corners of the barn where the harvest was stored. Many people believed that Lammas was a fortuitous time to predict future love matches, perhaps because the feast celebrated fruitfulness and plenty.
Lammas as a Quarter Day
Although food and drink played a big part in the Lammas celebrations other less pleasant duties also had to be carried out. Labourers were often required to present a portion of their harvest to their landlord on Lammas Day. Lammas was traditionally one of the quarter days on which rents and taxes were collected.
Agriculture played a big part in medieval life and the harvest was one of the highlights of the medieval calendar, taking its place alongside other feasts, such as May Day. Perhaps handing over a portion of the harvest, or a payment of rent to a landlord would have been a less onerous task on a day so given to enjoyment and the anticipation of days of plenty to come.
Source
Robert Lacey & Danny Danziger The Year 1000 [Little, Brown and Company, 1999]
Rachel Bellerby - I am an experienced UK writer with two non-fiction books and more than 100 articles published in the UK and US. As a mum of three young ...
