15th July

This is the day when tradition says that whatever the weather is like, it will continue like that for the next 40 days. This means everyone really hopes it won’t rain.There is an old rhyme about St Swithin’s Day that goes as follows:

St. Swithin’s day if thou dost rain
For forty days it will remain
St. Swithin’s day if thou be fair
For forty days ’twill rain na mair.

Statue of St Swithun in the Stavanger Cathedral

St Swithin (or Swithun) was the bishop of Winchester from 852 – 862, and when he died, at his own request was buried outside the cathedral where people could walk over him and the rain could pour on him.

In 971 it was decided to move his body to a shrine inside the cathedral, but on the day he was moved, it poured with rain and this is supposed to have been a sign of his displeasure.

You can read more traditional verses on my nursery rhyme website.