Dorchester & Fordington Glossary

Church Festival or Fast Days

©Michael Russell OPC for Fordington - November 2011

The festivals and fasts often used to date events are too numerous to list but the following are the fixed ones most often found, plus some of the dates observed as 'solemn days'. In most parishes the day of the Saint to whom the local church is dedicated may also be used for dating purposes. The eve of the festivals marked with an asterisk '*' was kept as a fast, but when the festival fell on a Monday the fast was kept on the previous Saturday.

The most important movable Feast is Easter Day and a separate listing can be accessed via the link provided which also lists the dates of other movable feasts which as determined from Easter Day


January 1st   - Circumcision
6th   - Epiphany, Twelfth Day
13th - St Hilary the Bishop
30th - Death of Charles, King and martyr (solemn day)
February 2nd   - Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Candlemas)
24th - St Matthias*
March 25th - Annunciation of the Blessed virgin mary * (Lady Day, s quarter day)
April 23rd - St George
May 1st   - St Philip and St James the Less (May Day)
29th - Restoration of Charles II (solemn Day)
June 24th - Nativity of St John the Baptist* (Midsummer day, quarter day)
29th - St Peter the Apostle*
July 25th - St James the Apostle*
August 24th - St Bartholomew the Apostle*
September 21st - St Matthew the Apostle*
29th - St Michael and All Angels (Michaelmas, a quarter day)
October 25th - St Crispin, anniversary of Agincourt
28th - St Simon and St Jude the Apostles*
November 1st   - All Saints (All Hallows) *
2nd   - All Souls
5th - Gunpowder Plot (solemn Day)
30th - St andrew the Apostle*
December 6th   - St Nicholas
21st - St Thomas the Apostle*
25th - Christmas Day8 (quarter Day)
26th - St Stephen
28th - Holy innocents

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