Frankin’s Day, Late Frosts & May Lore May 21st

Frankin was a Devon brewer who was put out of business by Cider makers. So he sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for 3 days of frost from May 21st. He hoped the cold would destroy the apple blossom and ruin the Cider Crop.

In fact, today is warm and sunny. It seems to me to be the day to cast my clouts out. (see my post clouts and casting here.) We started with very nice May weather, and then it went wintery. But we have had a few warm days now and I have just put all my winter and spring coats and wolly socks away. But I haven’t yet got the short-sleeved shirts out of underbed storage. Frankin’s legend is another warning about cold weather in May . We have also heard about the Ice saints such as St Pancras who are supposed to bring icy weather to mid May.

Cold Sheep

Sheep farmers are also warned to beware cold weather in May:

‘Shear your sheep in May
You’ll shear them all away.’

The poor sheep will die in thunder and lighting:

‘Thunder in May
Frightens the Summer Away‘

Green Jean and Marrying in May

Marrying in May is also supposedly unlucky (and I did see a bare shouldered bride regretting her dress choice on a cold day in Stratford-upon-Avon!).

‘Married in May and kirked in green
Both Bridge and Bridgroom won’t long be seen
O’ Marriage in May
Bairns die in decay’

This was recorded in 1892. Green is an unlucky colour in Scotland for wedding dresses, and there are a number of ghostly Green Ladies in Scottish Castles such as Wemsyss. Here she is called ‘Green Jean’. She is beautiful, tall, slim lady with a long dress of green who swishes as she glides bu startled observers.

For more on Wemsys Castle and Green Jean look here. But note that you only face death if you marry in May AND wear a green wedding dress.

My research suggests many people ignore this advice:

Thanks again to Charles Kightly’s delightful ‘The Perpetual Almanack of Folklore’. You might like to buy it here. (no kickback to me!).

First Published May 21st 2026