Month: March 2025

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The Spring Equinox March 20th

Video by Heike Herbert of Druids at the Spring Equinox at Tower Hill, London

So, Spring has sprung, not only meteorologically speaking but also astronomically. We are 20 days into the meteorological Spring which started on 1 March (see my post here.) Today, we are starting the astronomical or solar Spring.

The 20th of March is the Spring Equinox, or Vernal Equinox, midway between the Winter Solstice and the Summer Solstice. The sun has been rising further north each day since December 21st. Today it rises due East, and sets due West. The day and night are roughly equal in length (although by no means exactly). At 9.00am today, the Sun was directly overhead at the Equator.

The term vernal comes from the Latin for Spring, and today is the primavera, the first day of Spring. The Anglo-Saxons originally used the word lencthen (Lent) for Spring. But later adopted the idea of the ‘springing’ of the year when the plants bud. In Middle English, the word Spring is also used for sunrise, the waxing of the moon and the rising tides. These are called spring tides. But also for the sprouting of the beard and the first appearance of pubic hair! Happy Spring Time!

Up to the 15th Century, the English also used the French term ‘prime-temps’ in the sense of ‘first times’. This follows the idea that the year is young, while Winter represents old age. As we shall see, on March 25th, there was also a belief that the world was created in Spring at the Equinox. Jesus was also conceived at this point of the annual cycle. (see my post /march-25th-the-beginning-of-the-universe-as-we-know-it-birthday-of-adam-lilith-eve-conception-of-jesus-start-of-the-year)

Zodiacally, if that is a word, Spring is Aries (brave and impulsive); Taurus (sensual and stubborn), and Gemini (dynamic and talented).

Druids at Tower Hill

Druids at the Spring Equinox Tower Hill London, Photo by Heike Herbert
Druids at the Spring Equinox Tower Hill London, Photo by Heike Herbert

The Druids have a ceremony at Tower Hill every year on the Spring Equinox. When I last attended I remember the druid costumes were often made with nylon sheets, and their footware was mostly tennis shoes. I see from the photos the nylon has at least been replaced with cotton, and the plimsolls with trainers. Not quite sure what that pair of black trainers are doing in the picture!

As my photos are getting long in the teeth, I have used photos by Heike Herbert. She attends most years. The ones above from 2 years ago. She has also been there today. However, she reports that the atmosphere has been affected by a street food market,. This restricted the space for the Druid Circle. The food stalls are there every Thursday, so it only impacts the Druid assembly once every 7 years! I wonder if anything similar happened at Stonehenge?

Tower Hill, Spring Equinox, 2025 and street food, Photo by Heike Herbert

Modern Druids

I say modern druids because there is no convincing evidence that the modern fellowships of Druids can trace their origins back to prehistory. Druidry was reinvented in the 18th Century — for example, the Ancient Order of Druids was formed in 1781. They were set up as societies in the tradition of the Freemasons. They held to belief in the fundamental importance of nature. However, one group, the British Circle of the Universal Bond, claim descent from a group persecuted by the Bishop of Oxford in 1166. Look at their website for more details and for an idea of their beliefs.

Prehistoric Spring Equinox

When did the Equinox first had importance for human society? The answer is, probably, at least as long as we have been reasoning creatures. On January 14th, I draw attention to a recent discovery by an amateur ‘citizen scientist’. He suggested there was evidence in Cave Painting for the use of a Palaeolithic Calendar. Follow this link to see the post.

Stonehenge and the Sun

At Stonehenge, in the old Car Park, they found three huge Pine post-holes in a line. Dating evidence shows they were erected in the Mesolithic period, thousand of years before Stonehenge. They align to the direction of the Mid-Summer Sunrise and Mid-Winter Sunset (NNE/SSW). If, and it’s a big if, you were sighting from Stonehenge itself, which was built some 5000 years in the future.

Imaginary reconstruction of the Carpark Postholes

It is a bit of a stretch using two pieces of evidence so far apart in time. But recent excavations have revealed that there are natural periglacial striations in the soft chalk bedrock at Stonehenge. These lines point to the Solstices. They not only predate Stonehenge but also the three post holes. The striations may well have been visible from the time they were created when the glaciers melted.

Around 12,000 years ago (date from my memory so approximate), the climate changed and the glaciers melted. This left a lot of water rushing around the landscape. At Stonehenge, it gouged out striations in the chalk. By chance, or as ordered by the Gods/Goddesses/Divine Nature, the striations pointed to the Solstice Axis. Richard Jacques excavations in the Stonehenge area revealed that the aurochs came to the Stonehenge area for grazing and water. Aurochs are huge wild cows with enough meat on them to feed 200 people. So, the solar axis is near a place where the Gods/Goddesses/Divine Nature provided super-abundance in the guise of herds of Aurochs.

Foreground shows the periglacial striations aligned on the Solstice. Source Current Archaeology?

Burial Mounds aligned to the Equinox

This is confirmed by the alignment of many megalithic monuments dating from 3,600 BC onwards, including, of course, Stonehenge. Also, all around the UK are long barrows and other burial mounds, many of which are indeed sited/sited E-W to the Equinoxes. Many are fairly approximate. But at Loughcrew, County Meath in Ireland the Vernal Equinox shines right into the burial chamber. The sun’s light shines onto a stone marked by stone carvings. Similar alignments exist at Knowth and Dowth in the Boyne Valley. More about Loughcrew in my post here)

Harmony & the Spring Equinox.

The Equinox also has another role, which is to be the anchor of the cardinal points. The world is orientated to North, South, East, West. The Equinox is a time when there is a harmony, a balance in the universe. Therefore, it is a fortunate, a lucky time, a time to fall in love or undertake notable undertakings. But, in the Christian world marriage traditionally had to wait a little longer, until after the commemoration of the death of the Messiah,

First Written in March 2023, and revised in March 2024, 2025

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Peak Cherry Blossom? March 19th

Peak Cherry Blossom Photos by Natalie Tobert (to see her fantastic sculptures, look here:)

This year, I don’t think it is yet Peak Blossom. But I’m going to keep this post here to remind you of the joy of the Blossom season. You can plan to visit your local Blossom Hot spot!

Peak cherry blossom is sometime between late March and early April. Last year it was around March 19th, this year maybe a week or two away. There are many suggested places, and I enclose a couple of web links with more details.  But my friend, Natalie Tobert, posted last year about Japanese people queuing up to photo cherry blossom in Swiss Cottage.

Here is an Instagram video of the blossom in Swiss Cottage, near Hampstead, London.

Sakura and Peak Cherry Blossom

For the Japanese Cherry Blossom represents both the beauty of life and its brevity. Sakura are honoured by the Samurai, and were on the badges of KamiKazi Pilots in World War 2. The Japanese began their blossom time with Plum Blossom. They can be difficult to tell apart from Cherry but it is much more fragrant. It blossoms earlier.

Cherry trees consist of 430 species in the genus Prunus. Wild Cherry and Bird Cherry are native to the UK.  Normal blossom time is April. In mild winters and sheltered places like London they can blossom as soon as February.  The flowers are known as Sakura in Japan, and viewing them is ‘Hanami’.  Bird Cherry usually flowers in May.  Recent blossoming is over 7 days earlier than the average for the previous 1,200 years.

You might like to look at the Natural History Museum discover cherry-trees website. This has more information and suggested places to see blossom.

And here the londonist.com Sakura-in-london-where&when

The Woodland Trust has a great web page about blossom in general and I include their useful table of blossom time, below.

www.woodlandtrust.org.uk

The Trust also have a ‘nature’s calendar’ program. ‘Citizen Scientists’ can participate in projects to track the progress of the sessions in nature.

https://naturescalendar.woodlandtrust.org.uk.

To read about Blossom in Haggerston Park read my post.

First published in 2024, and republished in 2025

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Blossom and Haggerston Park March 18th

Blosson in Haggerston Park on 9th March 2025, photo by kevin flude
Blosson in Haggerston Park on 9th March 2025, photo by K Flude

Last year on March 19th, I declared it was Peak Blossom! This year, it doesn’t seem to be quite that time yet, which is normally in April. However, walking around my local Park Haggerston Park today, I am revising my opinion a little. Haggerston is whitewashed with amazing blossom. I thought it was Blackthorn, until I read that Blackthorn was the tree from which Sloes are grown.

My ‘Flora Incognita’ tells me that it is Cherry Plum, Prunus cerasifera. This makes sense as in the summer, there were people collecting the small plums that were growing on the trees. The pink variety of cherry are not yet at peak blossom. I will post about peak blossom, later today.

I am using this occasion to write about my local park which I have been saving up for a ‘vacant day’. (see my post of Ovid and Vacant days)

Haggerston Park & Park Henges

Haggerston Park was built on the site of derelict houses, a tile manufacturer and a Gas Works in the post war years. The Gas works was situated by the Regent’s Canal with its own basin for loading supplies. In the 80s the Park was expanded to take in some areas which were residential streets. All that really remains of the Gas works are the perimeter walls, and the outline of the canal basin.

The park is a well-loved local facility with green lawns, trees and flowers. It also has a great new playground for kids; astroturf football pitches; tennis courts, toilets, cafe, City farm, and a wild wooded area. This is dominated by the Cherry Plum, trees and is a haven for squirrels. Rats loved it too, but I haven’t seen one for 18 months or so.

The Gardeners obviously like the hengiform design because the Park has a lot of henges, and circuses. I have named most of them.

Snowdrop Henge

Snowdrop henge Haggerston Park, photo K Flude
Snowdrop henge Haggerston Park, photo K Flude

Silver Birch Circle

Silver Birch Circle Haggerston Park, Photo Kevin Flude

The beautiful croci are not so clear in this picture, but they are really lovely! (See my post on Croci here). Last year I got a better photo of the croci.

Haggerston Park, 2024 Photo K Flude

Oak Tree Cluster

Oak Tree Cluster, Haggerston Park photo by Kevin Flude
Oak Tree Cluster, Haggerston Park photo by Kevin Flude

This wonderful Oak tree is surrounded by daffodils and croci.

Oak Tree and flowers, Haggerston Park Photo K Flude
Oak Tree and flowers, Haggerston Park Photo K Flude

Primula Patch

Primula Patch, Haggerston Park, Photo K Flude

The circle is in the middle of the Basin that connected the Gas Works to the Regent’s Canal. I do hope they are primulas. There is also a lovely circle of Roses.

Gas Works

Haggerston Park before WW2.

The Park covers the area of the Imperial Gas Works shown above. The photos above of the circles of flowers and trees are mostly in the area of the old Retort House (top left of the Gas works). You might also notice the Ice House, near the top left. (for my post on Ice House please look here).

An earlier map shows the basin leading to the Gas Works from the Canal:

1909 map of Haggerston.

Heron in the Pond, Ancient Wisteria

Looking at the maps, it makes it obvious how important the canal was for London’s 19th Century Industry. The whole strip of land on either side was full of factories, warehouses, and basins.

First written on 19th March 2025

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St. Patrick’s Day, St Albans, Nicholas Fuentes, & Cats March 17th

Stained Glass window depicting St Patrick with a crock and a castle
Stained Glass window depicting St Patrick (source of image, lost in the mists of time!)

St. Patrick has a very interesting autobiography (Confession).  He was captured by Irish pirates while living in a Romano-British Town.  He says his father was a Decurion and a Deacon which suggests elements of Roman political organisation continued.  No one knows the dates of St Patrick’s life but these titles suggested an early date perhaps just after the end of Roman rule.  Perhaps in the early 400s.

The town he lived in was called Bannavem Taburniae.  Many places have been proposed for it.  The closest linguistically is Bannaventa in Northamptonshire but this seems a very unlikely place for Irish raiders to land, being about as far away from the sea as it is possible to get in Britain!

Scholars have suggested South Wales and the Scottish borders most commonly.  But my favourite suggestion, but about as unlikely as Northampton, is Battersea in London.  This suggestion was made in the pages of the London Archaeologist by editor Nicolas Fuentes. 

Fuentes was one of a pioneering group of archaeologists when Rescue Archaeology first began a campaign to record the archaeology, being destroyed by massive redevelopment of town centres in the 70s.

He changed his name from the anglicised Nicholas Farrant back to its original Fuentes. He then wrote a magnificent series of papers, in London Archaeologist, which located St. Patrick in Battersea; St Alban’s execution in London and all 12 battles of King Arthur around Greater London.

St Albans Martyrdom in London

All were well argued, but as a set they do raise an eyebrow, being unsupported by any clear evidence. And, as far as I know, without much scholarly support.  The one I really like is locating St Alban’s Martyrdom in London rather than in St Albans. It reminds everyone that the first reference to St Alban, which is by Gildas in the 6th Century, places the execution of the Saint firmly in London. It also makes sense of the story that Alban, keen for martyrdom, gets God to part the River so he can go quickly to the execution spot. The bridge it was said was full of people going to see the execution.

In Gildas’s case, the execution is in London, probably at the Amphitheatre, up a hill from the the mighty Thames. So God parted the Thames for Alban. Anglo-Saxon historian, the Venerable Bede places St Alban’s death firmly in St Albans, but the river that God needs to part there- the River Ver, is a piddle. Alban could have crossed it easily, hardly requiring even Wellington boots! Not much of a miracle compared with parting the Thames. The likely site of execution in both cases would have been the Amphitheatre, rather than the side of the hill where the St Albans execution site is located. But Gildas did mention the hill, which makes sense in the case of London and not in St Albans, as it is outside of the Roman City.

To my, unscholarly mind, when we worship people we tend to venerate them, at their birthplace and death place. So to me, it makes sense that St Alban’s main shrine was at Verulamium where he was born (now known as St Albans) and London where he died.

There is some supporting evidence from the hagiography of St Germanus of Auxerre. This tells us that Germanus came to an amphitheatre for a religious debate about 15 years after the end of the Roman occupation of Britain. After the debate he went to a nearby shrine dedicated to St Alban. Unfortunately, the writer of the memoir is not really interested in post-Roman Britain, so does not tell us whether it was in London or St Albans. But there is an early church dedicated to St Alban just by the Roman Amphitheatre in London. For more on St Germanus follow this link to my post.

However, archaeology does not reveal any evidence early enough to support the idea that the Church is that early. Fuentes, argued that London as the Capital was likely to have been the place where capital punishments were carried out, particularly in the case of a Roman Citizen like Alban. I must note that in placing any credibility to Fuentes theory, I am standing largely alone.

stained glass window from Gloucester Cathedral of St Patrick being taught by St Germanus
Stained glass window of St Patrick and St Germanus

The Twelve London Battles of King Arthur

I’m not so convinced by the 12 Battles of King Arthur, for which there is just never going to be enough evidence to locate. They are more likely to have been spread throughout Britannia.

St Patrick From Battersea?

So, to the point – St Patrick in Battersea?  The evidence, as I remember it, was really only the suggestion that Battersea was derived from: Badrices īeg, ‘Badric’s Island’ and later Old English: Patrisey (Wikipedia), So, Patrick’s Island.  The word ‘sea’ being used in that sense along the River Thames as in Chelsea, Thorney, Putney derived from ey which is short for eyot (island).

St Patrick lived as a teenage slave for 6 years, then escaped from captivity in Ireland and returned home. Trained as a priest, in perhaps Auxerre (home to St. Germanus who is another crucial witness to post Roman Britain) and returned to Ireland to begin the conversion to Christianity. He is the Patron Saint of Ireland, with St. Brigitte and St. Colomba.

Another candidate for Bannavem Taburniae’ comes from Andrew Breeze FSA. I read about this in Salon IFA, the newsletter of the Society of Antiquaries, and it is also discussed in this History First article. Breeze has revived a theory that the Saint comes from the West Country, and that the ‘Bannavem Taburniae’ is Banwell, near Weston-super-Mare in North Somerset. He suggests that ‘Bannaventa was a Latinisation of a Brittonic name that included banna, for a bend’, crook or peak. Venta is a well known word for an area of local administration or marketplace (for example, Venta Bulgarum, was the name for Winchester in the Roman period.) . He suggests that these ‘elements, as well as the Berniae element of ‘Taburniae’, can be found in the name Banwell, itself a compound name of the Brittonic ‘Banna’ and the Old English wylle, both meaning pool, or in the names of surrounding villages.’ I’m sure Fuentes did something similar for Battersea.

mage credit: Looking south from Winthill, near Banwell, Somerset, Colin S Pearson; Banwell in Somerset, Google Street View
Image credit: Looking south from Winthill, near Banwell, Somerset, Colin S Pearson; Banwell in Somerset, Google Street View

What Banwell has over the London theory is that it is more likely to have been subject to Irish Raiders than London. But, for me, it is just another theory based on placename evidence that might or might not be true. I have read any number of Archaeology books where arguments about placenames are deployed to add some solidity to some theory about King Arthur, or a tale from Geoffrey of Monmouth. I therefore distrust them all. They essentially create circular arguments.

And least we forget, today is also St Gertrude’s Day, patron saint of Cats.

comical post from facebook of St Gertrude Patron saint of cats
Facebook post, posted by a friend, and about St Gertude patron saint of cats.

First Published in 2024, republished in 2025

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Lawrence Oates: ‘I am just going outside and may be some time.’  March 16th 1912

photograph taken by Kevin Flude of the display of Antarctic Explorer's Kit 1912 (reconstruction) at Gilbert White's House in Hampshire
Display of Antarctic Explorer’s Kit 1912 (reconstruction) at Gilbert White’s House in Hampshire

Last year, I went to Gilbert White’s House in Selborne. The naturalist’s House also houses the Oates Museum for Lawrence ‘Titus Oates’ and his uncle Frank. Oates was one of the ‘heroes’ I read about as a child. He epitomised what was sold as the British virtues of pluck, self-sacrifice, restraint.

Here is part of the story of Oates self-sacrifice over the days from February 29th to March 16th as told by the commander of the expedition Captain Scott:

Wednesday, February 29th 1912

Lunch. Cold night. Minimum Temp. -37.5°; -30° with north-west wind, force 4, when we got up. Frightfully cold starting; luckily Bowers and Oates in their last new finnesko; keeping my old ones for present. Expected awful march and for first hour got it. Then things improved and we camped after 5 1/2 hours marching close to lunch camp—22 1/2. Next camp is our depot and it is exactly 13 miles. It ought not to take more than 1 1/2 days; we pray for another fine one. The oil will just about spin out in that event, and we arrive 3 clear days’ food in hand. The increase of ration has had an enormously beneficial result. Mountains now looking small. Wind still very light from west—cannot understand this wind.

From Scott’s Polar Institute Web Site

A finnesko is ‘a boot of tanned reindeer skin with the hair on the outside’.

Monday, March 5th 1912

Lunch. Regret to say going from bad to worse. We got a slant of wind yesterday afternoon, and going on 5 hours we converted our wretched morning run of 3 1/2 miles into something over 9. We went to bed on a cup of cocoa and pemmican solid with the chill off. (R. 47.) The result is telling on all, but mainly on Oates, whose feet are in a wretched condition. One swelled up tremendously last night and he is very lame this morning. We started march on tea and pemmican as last night—we pretend to prefer the pemmican this way. Marched for 5 hours this morning over a slightly better surface covered with high moundy sastrugi. Sledge capsized twice; we pulled on foot, covering about 5 1/2 miles. We are two pony marches and 4 miles about from our depot. Our fuel dreadfully low and the poor Soldier nearly done. It is pathetic enough because we can do nothing for him; more hot food might do a little, but only a little, I fear. We none of us expected these terribly low temperatures, and of the rest of us Wilson is feeling them most; mainly, I fear, from his self-sacrificing devotion in doctoring Oates’ feet. We cannot help each other, each has enough to do to take care of himself. We get cold on the march when the trudging is heavy, and the wind pierces our warm garments. The others, all of them, are unendingly cheerful when in the tent. We mean to see the game through with a proper spirit, but it’s tough work to be pulling harder than we ever pulled in our lives for long hours, and to feel that the progress is so slow. One can only say ‘God help us!’ and plod on our weary way, cold and very miserable, though outwardly cheerful. We talk of all sorts of subjects in the tent, not much of food now, since we decided to take the risk of running a full ration. We simply couldn’t go hungry at this time.

From Scott’s Polar Institute Web Site

Pemmican is made of tallow, dried meat and dried berries. It is a calorie rich food stuff created by native American groups and used by expedition like Scotts. The name says Wikipedia ‘comes from the Cree word ᐱᒦᐦᑳᓐ (pimîhkân), which and adopted is derived from the word ᐱᒥᕀ (pimî), ‘fat, grease”. Sastrugi is a Russian word which are ripples or craters in the surface of the snow caused by strong winds. They make progressing through the terrain much more difficult.

Scott begins his March 16th entry unsure what the actual date is.

Friday March 16th

Lost track of dates, but think the last correct. Tragedy all along the line. At lunch, the day before yesterday, poor Titus Oates said he couldn’t go on; he proposed we should leave him in his sleeping-bag. That we could not do, and induced him to come on, on the afternoon march. In spite of its awful nature for him he struggled on and we made a few miles. At night he was worse and we knew the end had come.

Should this be found I want these facts recorded. Oates’ last thoughts were of his Mother, but immediately before he took pride in thinking that his regiment would be pleased with the bold way in which he met his death. We can testify to his bravery. He has borne intense suffering for weeks without complaint, and to the very last was able and willing to discuss outside subjects. He did not – would not – give up hope to the very end. He was a brave soul. This was the end. He slept through the night before last, hoping not to wake; but he woke in the morning – yesterday. It was blowing a blizzard. He said, ‘I am just going outside and may be some time.’ He went out into the blizzard and we have not seen him since.

I take this opportunity of saying that we have stuck to our sick companions to the last. In case of Edgar Evans, when absolutely out of food and he lay insensible, the safety of the remainder seemed to demand his abandonment, but Providence mercifully removed him at this critical moment. He died a natural death, and we did not leave him till two hours after his death. We knew that poor Oates was walking to his death, but though we tried to dissuade him, we knew it was the act of a brave man and an English gentleman. We all hope to meet the end with a similar spirit, and assuredly the end is not far.

I can only write at lunch and then only occasionally. The cold is intense, -40º at midday. My companions are unendingly cheerful, but we are all on the verge of serious frostbites, and though we constantly talk of fetching through I don’t think anyone of us believes it in his heart.

We are cold on the march now, and at all times except meals. Yesterday we had to lay up for a blizzard and to-day we move dreadfully slowly. We are at No. 14 pony camp, only two pony marches from One Ton Depot. We leave here our theodolite, a camera, and Oates’ sleeping-bags. Diaries, &c., and geological specimens carried at Wilson’s special request, will be found with us or on our sledge.

photo of the display at Gilbert White's House Selborne
From the display at Gilbert White’s House, in Selborne Hampshire

How much Oates story is tarnished by discoveries published in 2002, I will leave you to read here.

For more about Gilbert White’s House look at my post here

First published in 2024 and revised 2025

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Beware the Ides of March March 15th

shows an image of Brutus stabbing Caesar with 'funny' bubbles: Caesar says 'Brutus, whats that loud pelting noise on the roof' and Brutus replies, about to stab Julius Caesar 'Hail, Caesar'
The Ides of March – With Apologies. From Facebook

SOOTHSAYER: Caesar!
CAESAR: Ha! Who calls?
CASCA: Bid every noise be still; peace yet again!
CAESAR: Who is it in the press that calls on me?
I hear a tongue shriller than all the music
Cry ‘ Caesar!’ Speak. Caesar is turned to hear.
SOOTHSAYER: Beware the ides of March.
CAESAR: What man is that?
BRUTUS: A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March.
CAESAR: Set him before me; let me see his face.
CASSIUS: Fellow, come from the throng; look upon Caesar.
CAESAR: What sayst thou to me now? Speak once again.
SOOTHSAYER: Beware the Ides of March.
CAESAR: He is a dreamer. Let us leave him. Pass.

Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

Julius Caesar and the Ides of March

The Ides of March is the 15th of March. Julius Caesar didn’t take the warning that might have saved his life. You might suggest he got what was coming to first populist. But any study of Roman History will find many precursors in Roman and Greek History. Among populists, I rank Caesar with Napoleon as one of the Dictators who was, personally, an intelligent, reasonable man. They, in some ways, ruled ‘wisely’ but were nonetheless willing to sacrifice millions of people for their own personal ambition.

Today, the world is faced with the populists who are geniuses only in their own minds. I know, we as humans, might think, if only X would drop dead, how much better it would be? Brutus, being an honourable man, took action upon his thought. But, as often is the case, what seemed the ‘right thing’ to do, turned out to be a disaster. The plotters were trying to save the Roman Republic, but their murder destroyed the Republic. So, still those assassinary thoughts, read this article in ‘History Today’ about the impact of Julius Caesar’s murder. Do everything you can but use democratic means to defeat egotists to whom truth means nothing. In my opinion this is the major problem for humanity, it seems we do not know how to stop homicidal maniacs causing war without needing to fight a war to stop them. We do not have a method of peaceful mass rebellion. Perhaps Gandhi came closest but then he was working against a system that was not a dictatorship.

Ides of March

Now, what the heck are or indeed is the Ides of March?

A Roman month was divided into three, first the Kalends, then the Nones and finally the Ides. These three days were the important days of the month. The Kalends is the 1st of the Month. The Nones the 7th of the Month, And the Ides the Fifteenth. It is said to go back to the early days of Rome and a lunar calendar. The Kalends being the first tiny sliver of a crescent moon a couple of days after the New Moon. The Nones the first quarter of the Moon and the Ides was the full moon. To me, as a way of dividing a month it is very lopsided. The cycle of the moon is 29 days not 15. So the tripartite division divides up the first half of the month, and leave the second half undivided.

Debts were supposed to be paid on the Kalends and that is where we get our word calendar from. These public calendars were called Fasti. This is the name of Ovid’s great Almanac Poem, the Fasti, which I often quote from.

This is a very bad photograph of a drawing by Herbert E Duncan Jr of a 1st Century Calendar
This is a very bad photograph of a drawing by Herbert E Duncan Jr of a 1st Century Calendar

How was it used? When talking about a day in the future month you might say I’ll meet you on the 5th day before the Kalends. I’ve never really understood this system, despite a few attempts, until I saw this drawing of a Roman Calendar. You’ll have to read this closely. The first column, on the left, with the letters from D to H then A – H. This is a recurring cycle of 8 market days, running in tandem with Kalends, Nones etc.. This gives an 8 day week.

Now reading across the top line DKMARTNP. So the D is the 4 day of the 8 day ‘market week’. The second column begins with the Letter K for Kalends, then MART for March. So it’s the Kalends of March. Then NP which means this day is a day for public festivals.

Back to the second column. Below the K for Kalends, the days are counted down to the upcoming Nones. So the next one after Kalends is VI, meaning the 6th day before the March Nones. Then V, IIII, III. There is no II because PR means the day before Nones. Below and to the right of the PR are the letters NON which is, as you might hope, is short for Nones.

In the second column below this is the number VIII which means the next day is the 8th day before the Ides of March. The fragment of stone from which this drawing comes does not continue down to the Ides, unfortunately.

Complicated, huh? It gets worse. The third column has a series of letters in it: F C C C NP NON F C C. We already know that the NON is short for Nones, The F means it’s a fastus, a permissible day when legal action can be taken. (the plural of Fastus is Fasti.) The C means C comitialis which on fasti days the Roman people could hold assemblies. (see my post for more on the curiae). We have already seen that NP marks days for public festivals. An N would mean days when political and judicial actions were prohibited, although there is not one here. The small unreadable text to the right is information, I believe, about holidays and historic events to be marked in the calendar. This is, in fact, a Roman Stone Almanac.

This confusing system survived Caesar’s major calendrical reforms. He transformed the Roman calendar, which was rotten at the core. He re-aligned with an almost accurate calculation of the time the Sun takes to circle the earth. (or the other way around!) This is known as the Julian Calendar.

But the Kalends, Nones, and Ides he left intact until Constantine the Great got rid of them. They were replaced with the familiar 4 fold division of the month. So, for the first time, you could work 24/7.

For more about Constantine’s Weeks look at my post here

For Caesar’s Calendrical reforms look at this post

2024 Revised March 2025

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General Wade & Bath March 14th

The house of General Wade, Bath (photo Kevin Flude, 2007, Pentax)

General Wade Died March 14th 1748

General Wade was one of the generals who saved Britain from the Jacobite threat in the 18th Century. He is one of those people that, as a Course Director for Road Scholar, you have never heard of but soon become an important part of your tour. At first, you use the guidebooks for your information. Then drop their name in the tour sounding authoritative for the next 20 years. But you have no real idea who they are are. General Wade is a typical example.  I first heard of him in Bath, as the owner of the rather wonderful early 18th Century town house in Bath, pictured above.  The house sits opposite the Georgian entry to the famous Roman Baths.  Most Georgian buildings in Bath are Palladian, Classical Revival architecture as influenced by Andrea Palladio (1508–1580). First implemented, in Bath by John Wood, but followed by most 18th/19th and many 20th Century architects.

General Wade (Wikipedia)

General Wade’s House is wonderfully not Palladian.  It displays its classical influence by the pilasters between the windows and the swags above. But it doesn’t have the solidity of the Palladian style.  It is special because it illustrates a type that has largely disappeared in Bath, and indeed around the country. It was built around 1700 and is a Grade 1 listed.

General Wade & Bath

General Wade, I would tell people, was the MP for Bath (after 1722, retaining the seat for 25 years). He was a field-Marshall in charge of the defences of the area during the Jacobite Revolt of 1715.  However, his part in my tour was to introduce the story of one of the three men who made Bath famous in the 18th Century. The first of these men was Ralph Allen, Post Master. At the beginning of the Jacobite Revolt, he opened letters between known rebels. He found out where the armaments were stored, and provided the information to General Wade. Wade became famous by preventing an uprising in the West Country.  His daughter married Ralph Allen.

Ralph Allen and his quarry with Bath in the Background (screenshot of lecture slide from my Jane Austen and Bath Virtual Tour)

Ralph Allen

Allen made a small fortune as Post Master by implementing so-called ‘cross posts’. The original postal system sent posts from the regions to London to be sent out to the destination region. Allen realised he could make a lot of money linking regional centres directly and not going via London. Rising in society and in wealth, he reinvested his profits in the purchase of the limestone quarries above Bath.

18th Century Railway for moving Bath Stone, old print and model from Museum display.

Being a great entrepreneur he used a gravity railway (this is in the 18th Century remember!) to bring the stone down cheaply from the quarry. He also invested in a canal scheme to reduce transport costs for his highly prized limestone. It could now be transported and used in the bigger town of Bristol. He thereby made his stone cheaper, and increased potential customers.

Sketch from painting of John Wood

He worked with visionary architect, John Wood, who used his stone to design amazing buildings in the Palladian style. This made Bath stone fashionable. Reducing costs while increasing demand at the same time. The third of the people who made Bath famous was Beau Nash. He was known as the ‘King of Bath’. He made Bath a cultured centre of entertainment. But more about him and his girlfriend on another occasion!

Beau Nash and his mistress Juliana Popjoy

General Wade and the Jacobites

So, I used General Wade to point out a missing era of architecture in Bath. But also as a way into the story of the three men who surfed the wave of Bath’s amazing growth. They, it is said, made it the most fashionable place to visit in Britain.

I next came across the name of General Wade, when I began to take groups along Hadrian’s wall. We were travelling on the military way. Running south of the wall, it was built by General Wade in the 18th Century. It roughly follows the Roman Military Way. Wade built 240 miles of military roads and 30 bridges. A further encounter with Wade, came when a particularly erudite Boat captain told us about the road that runs North alongside Loch Lomond. This was another military road built by Wade. Now, I do not know the names of any other General famous for building military roads. So this man was clearly something special. In Scotland, he essentially put in the military framework that was used to subdue the Highlanders in the Jacobite Wars. I thought I should know more about him. Hence, this post!

General Wade’s Military Road near Melgarve below Corrieyairack Pass (Wikipedia)

General Wade: Military Career

He began his military career in 1690 when he was commissioned into the Earl of Bath’s regiment. This led to a stellar military career, including fighting under the great General Marlborough. Wade was made a Brigadier General in 1708. After his success in keeping the West Country secure he was made Commander in Chief of His Majesty’s Forces, Castles, Forts, and Barracks in North Britain. The term ‘North Britain’ was used following the union of England and Scotland. For a while Scotland was known as North Britain.

He became a Field Marshall in 1743 in the War of the Austrian Succession. In the ’45 (Jacobite Revolt), he based his strategy on concentrating his forces on Newcastle. But Bonnie Prince Charlie, outfoxed him by taking the West Coast route out of Scotland via Carlisle into Lancashire. The Scots got as far south as Derby. Then retreated as the hoped for support from English Jacobites, nor the French invasion, materialised. Wade resigned from his command in 1745 and was replaced by Prince William, Duke of Cumberland. Cumberland was known as the Butcher of Culloden. The 1745 Jacobite Rebellion is known in Scottish Gaelic: as the Bliadhna Theàrlaich, [ˈpliən̪ˠə ˈhjaːrˠl̪ˠɪç], or ‘The Year of Charles’). (to read about Bonny Prince Charlie’s Sword, Stone of Scone read my post here stone-of-destiny-on-display-in-perth

General Wade’s Road and the Sycamore Tree

In 1746 Wade helped plan the East West road by Hadrian’s Wall to prevent in future any invasion of Britain. It allowed troops to travel from one side of Scotland to the other quickly. He died before construction was begun. He can’t therefore be entirely blamed for the destruction of parts of Hadrian’s Wall by the building of the road. (Click here to see my post on piece-of-hadrians-wall-found.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_roads_of_Scotland. Military Way near Hadrian’s wall, built by Wade not shown.

The road is still in use today. It was used by many people to see the famous Sycamore Tree, in Sycamore Gap, before it was brutally chopped down.

‘Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, both from Cumbria, are charged with causing £622,191 worth of criminal damage to the famous Northumberland tree‘. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckg0dyk9mvno. Their trial is in April, and of course, they may be innocent.

For more on Wade see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Wade

First published 2024, revised 2025

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Hesiod and a Grecian Spring March 13th

Image of web site for Hesiod's works and days, showing pandora's box an illustration by William Blake
Hesiod: Works and Days

HESIOD: WORKS AND DAYS

The Works and Days is a farmer’s Almanac written for the brother of Hesiod. It has a mixture of seasonal good advice and moralising. He is, one of the first great poets of the western world, and near contemporary with Homer. The poem is an important source for Greek Myths. For example, it tells us that the stories of Prometheus and Pandora are the reasons the Gods cannot give us a simple wholesome life. He also describes the ages of humanity. These are: Golden Age, Silver Age, Bronze Age, Heroic Age, and his own modern day – the decadent Iron age. This idea was borrowed by C. J. Thomsen at the National Museum of Denmark in the early 19th Century. He created our modern Three Age System of Stone, Bronze and Iron Age. Our system is perhaps more optimistic with a progressive trend while the Greek system degenerates through successive eras.

Hesiod sees Spring as a time to begin trading by sea. He warns us not to put all our eggs in one vessel as Spring can bring nasty nautical surprises.

‘Spring too grants the chance to sail.
When first some leaves are seen
On fig-tree-tops, as tiny as the mark
A raven leaves, the sea becomes serene
For sailing. Though spring bids you to embark,
I’ll not praise it – it does not gladden me.
It’s hazardous, for you’ll avoid distress
With difficulty thus. Imprudently
Do men sail at that time – covetousness
Is their whole life, the wretches. For the seas
To take your life is dire. Listen to me:
Don’t place aboard all your commodities –
Leave most behind, place a small quantity
Aboard. To tax your cart too much and break
An axle, losing all, will bring distress.
Be moderate, for everyone should take
An apt approach. When you’re in readiness,
Get married. Thirty years, or very near,
Is apt for marriage. Now, past puberty
Your bride should go four years: in the fifth year
Wed her. That you may teach her modesty
Marry a maid. The best would be one who
Lives near you, but you must with care look round
Lest neighbours make a laughingstock of you.
A better choice for men cannot be found
Than a good woman,’

Hesiod Works and Days Translated by Chris Kelk

Rome and Spring

In Rome, early March is taken up with much celebrations of the Great God Mars. His favour enabled the Romans to conquer most of the known world. But here is Horace on Spring:


Winter’s grip is loosening at the welcome turn of spring and the West Wind
As windlasses haul empty hulls to the sea.
Cattle no longer feel contented in their stables nor the farmer by his hearth,
And no morning frosts are leaving a white sheen on the fields.
Now Cytherean Venus leads the dance under a moon hanging high,
And hand in hand nymphs and beauteous Graces,
With rhythmic feet, stamp the ground, while busy, glowing Vulcan
Tends the massive forges of the Cyclopes.
Now ’tis time to wreathe our glistening locks with green myrtle
And with flowers borne by the unshackled earth;
Now ’tis time to make sacrifice in shadowy groves to Faunus,
Whether he demands a lamb or a kid if he prefers

Horace, Odes 1.4 (found in a pdf @ https://beertverstraete.yolasite.com/resources/Essay%2013.pdf)

The Anglo-Saxon Seafarer in Spring

For the Anglo-Saxon their poetry shows Spring as a great release when the ‘fetters of frost’ fall off and allow a welcome return to sailing on the high seas .

The Seafarer

The woods take on blossoms, towns become fair,
meadows grow beautiful the world hastens on;
all these things urge the eager mind,
the spirit to the journey, in one who thinks to travel
far on the paths of the sea.….

So now my spirit soars out of the confines of the heart,
my mind over the sea flood;
it wheels wide over the whale’s home,

Poem from the Exeter Book known as the Seafarer, quoted in Eleanor Parker’s ‘Winters in the World a journey through the Anglo Saxon year’.

The text in this page on Hesiod has been transferred here from March 10th. The information about Nettles is now in the March 10th Post.

Published 2022, rewritten March 2025

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St Gregory.  Punster Extraordinary March 12th

St Gregory and the Angles

St Gregory the Great

Gregorius I is known as Saint Gregory the Great. Pope from 3 September 590 to his death on 12th March 604. So 12th March is traditionally his feast day. It was changed to September 3rd, the date of his elevation to Pope because 12th March was often in Lent.

His is the 2nd most popular name for Popes. This is the top 18. I guess St Peter was too hard an act to follow, but then there are 6 Pauls?

  • John (23),
  • Gregory (16),
  • Benedict (16),
  • Clement (14),
  • Leo (13),
  • Innocent (12),
  • Pius (12),
  • Stephen (9),
  • Urban (8),
  • Alexander (7),
  • Adrian (6),
  • Paul (6),
  • Sixtus (5),
  • Martin (5),
  • Nicholas (5),
  • Celestine (5),
  • Anastasius (4),
  • Honorius (4).
  • Source: https://conclaveblog.wordpress.com

St Gregory is the patron saint of musicians, singers, students, and teachers. It is traditionally believed he instituted the form of plainsong known as Gregorian Chant. He was a formidable organiser and reformer. He made changes that helped the Catholic tradition survive Arian and Donatist challenges. To read more about the Arian Heresy look at my post on St. Hilary and the Arians.

In the UK St Gregory is venerated with St Augustine for bringing Christianity to the largely pagan Anglo-Saxons. The caption to the illustration above tells the story of how he came to send a mission to the pagan Angles in Briton. It includes his two most famous puns, riffing on the similarity of the words Angles/Angels and Aella/Alleluia. But in between these two he also punned on the name of Aella’s kingdom. This was called Deira which later joined with Bernicia to become the Kingdom of Northumbria. St Gregory said he would save them from the wroth of God which is ‘de ira’ in Latin. The ire of God.

St Augustine’s Mission

In 597AD St Gregory sent St Augustine to Canterbury. His mission to convert the Germanic peoples of the former Roman Province of Britannia. Canterbury was chosen because its King was the ‘Bretwalda’ of Britain. This enigmatic title was given to Britain’s most powerful King. At the time, it was Ethelbert of Kent. He, was married to Bertha, a French Princess already a Christian. So, it was a relatively safe haven for St Augustine’s mission. The King was baptised, shortly, after in Canterbury.

Stained glass window showing Baptism of King Ethelbert of Kent by St Augustine watched by Queen Bertha. In St Martins Church, Canterbury
Stained glass window showing the Baptism of King Ethelbert of Kent by St Augustine watched by Queen Bertha. In St Martins Church, Canterbury

Archbishop of London?

The mission came with a plan to recreate the ecclesiastical arrangements set up in the Roman period. From the early 4th Century there were archbishops in the two main capitals at London and York. After Kent was converted, St Augustine sent St Mellitus to London. London was part of the Kingdom of Essex, ruled by St Ethelbert’s nephew, Sæberht. Mellitus established St Pauls Cathedral in AD604 in London. St Paulinus was sent to convert Northumbria and established a Cathedral in York.

Unfortunately, for the plan, Sæberht died. His sons returned to paganism and Mellitus was kicked out. He returned to Canterbury, where he, eventually became Archbishop. Ever since we have had an Archbishop of Canterbury and York and never had an Archbishop of London.

Photo of St Martin's Church - where the Church of England began. showing Roman tiles in the wall.
St Martin’s Church, Canterbury – where the Church of England began. Note the Roman tiles in the wall.

St Gregory and England

It is possible to argue (and I do) that St Gregory’s encounter with the Angles is why we are called English. He sent St Augustine to set up the Church of the Angles, not the Church of the Saxons. Saxon was the normal name used by the Romans for Germanic barbarians. The old Roman province of Brittania was by now divided into 3 Saxon Kingdoms. Essex, Wessex, and Sussex. (East, West, and South Saxons). 3 Anglian Kingdom, Mercia, East Anglia and Northumbria. (Middle, East and North Angles). And Kent, which the Venerable Bede says was a Jutish King of Germans from Jutland. These Kingdoms were often at war. After the attacks of the Vikings were beaten back and the conquered Kingdoms were ‘liberated’. The united Kingdom became known as Angeland or England. The Church of England had made the term Anglish/English became a unifying term to unite Angles, Saxons and Jutes. Otherwise, the ‘liberated’ Angles and Jutes would have to swallow being part of Greater Wessex, rubbing in their loss of independence.

St Gregory in Amsterdam

On a visit to Amsterdam and the Rijksmuseum I came across this painting which features Pope Gregory the Great. He is in the left hand part of the Triptych, shown in green kneeling down. It shows Utrecht in the background.

Triptych of the Crucifixion.  Showing the vision of the Crucifixion that St Gregory had while celebrating Mass (left). Crucifixion centre.  St Christopher (right)

What is fascinating is all the paraphernalia of the Crucifixion above Gregory’s head.  You’ll see 30 pieces of silver, dice to decide who gets Jesus’  robes, flails and torture devices, sponge and spear etc. Close up below.

Detail Triptych of the Crucifixion. 

For King Ethelbert’s Feast Day see my post: st-wapburga-and-st-ethelbert-of-kents-day

Lazy Day in Anglo-Saxon Times

In the Laws of King Alfred the Great, this day was a day off for freemen.  I will be writing about Days off in the Anglo Saxon Calender on August 15th.

First published in 2024, republished in 2025

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Newark & the Penny Loaf Day March 11th

River Trent from Trent Bridge, Newark on Trent by Peter Tarleton WIKIPEDIA -CC BY-SA 2.0
Newark on Trent by Peter Tarleton Wikipedia CC BY-SA 2.0 Newark & the Penny Loaf Day

On the 11th March 1644, the Parliamentary forces were besieging the Royalist-held Newark-on-Trent. Newark was a strategic centre as it was on the River Trent and on a major road junction.  Here, the Great North Road (A1 from London to the North) and the Fosse Way (from Exeter, via the Cotswolds to Leicester) met. It was vital for the King, as the roads linked Chester and York to Oxford.  Oxford was the King’s HQ; Chester was the key to Wales and the North West. York controlled access to the North East.

Newark withheld three sieges and only ‘fell’ when King Charles I surrendered. The Castle and other military defences were slighted.

Newark & the Penny Loaf & Hercules Clay,

During the second siege, in 1644, Hercules Clay dreamt that his house was on fire. He ignored the dream at first but as it repeated he took his family out of the house (next door to the Town Hall).

Shortly after, the house was hit by a ‘bombshell’, fired by the Parliamentary side.  Because of his miraculous delivery, he left £100 in his will for a distribution of ‘penny loaves’ to the poor of Newark. His will said:

‘Upon the 11th day of March yearly forever upon which day it pleased God of his infinite mercy wonderfully to preserve me and my wife from a fearful destruction by a terrible blow of a granado in the time of the last siege’

And also he left £100 for a commemorative sermon to be read on the anniversary of the incident. The service is normally held on the closest Sunday to the 11th March.  But the Church is being refurbished, so instead they had an event in the Town Hall and a procession.

Clay was a Mercer and a Royalist who, post mortem, was fined for lending £600 for the maintenance of the Royalist Garrison. It was paid by his brother.

At the time Churches had poor or bread boxes into which the women of the Parish would place loaves for the poor.

Auction Web site showing 17th Century Poor Box used for holding loaves for the poor

For more information on Hercules Clay see https://www.clayofderbyshire.co.uk/mayors. And thanks to the Clays for the research.

Penny loaf day see https://calendarcustoms.com/articles/newark-penny-loaf-day/

Newark Penny Loaf Day and Hercules Clay Bombshell Sermon

For my post on the execution of Charles 1 look here https://www.chr.org.uk/anddidthosefeet/january-28th-31st-charles-i-martyrdom-get-back/

First written in 2024, revised 2025