England's Festivals - A Year of Seasons, Customs and Traditions

An insightful guide to England's rural history and celebrations - a refreshing alternative to history tied to governments and warfare.
This is the month-by-month story of the English year, of the rhythm of its rural activities and of the evolution of the various calendar, folk and saints days festivals which this island's inhabitants have associated with the seasons and celebrated since before history began to be recorded.
It follows the annual round explaining how these festivals were originally tied to the farming and pastoral lives of people, but then mostly came to be infused and associated with Christian meaning.
It is a tour not only through the year, but also through the country's traditional counties.
Illustrations are mostly from Chambers Book of Days published in 1864.