Midsummer

Midsummer, the week or so around the summer solstice (June 21), which marks the longest day and the shortest night of the year in the Northern hemisphere. Midsummer or St John’s Eve (June 23) is the day before the feast of St John the Baptist, although since pagan times the evening has been associated with the ceremonial lighting of bonfires on the hilltops in an attempt to boost the power of the Sun, the source of life and warmth, which, after Midsummer Day, slowly begins to ebb. This happens not only in Britain (notably in Cornwall), but also in Germany and in Scandinavian countries. In Cornwall, where this ancient custom was revived earlier in the 20th century, a Master of Ceremonies gives a blessing, while a young girl, chosen as the Lady of the Flowers, throws a sickle-shaped bunch of flowers and herbs into the fire to encourage the crops to grow. In some parts of Cornwall the bonfire was crowned by a witch’s broom and hat as a warning to witches to stay clear of the area for a year. Tradition also dictated that no domestic or other fires should be alight at this time, since these might lessen the life-giving qualities of the bonfires. Another custom, observed in both Cornwall and Germany, was for a couple, hand in hand, to jump over the flames to bring themselves good luck. When the fires had died down, livestock were sometimes driven across the ashes; this ensured that they would be free from disease or accident in the coming year. The hanging of wreaths or plants on the door or inside the house seems also to have been a midsummer eve custom. St John, it was said, walked through the streets on the eve of his feast and bowed to any door with a wreath on it, thus bestowing his blessing on the house. Indoors, this was the time when young girls planted pots of orpine (a plant of the Sedum species, also known as livelong) to tell if their sweethearts were true or not; if the leaves bent to the right, it was a sign of fidelity; if to the left, her lover was unfaithful.

Nowadays, the most celebrated midsummer eve ceremonies in Britain take place at Stonehenge and other prehistoric sites around the country. Members of the modern order of Druids, who claim to be descendants of the priests who practised Druidism in ancient Britain, keep an all-night vigil until dawn breaks and the first rays of the Sun shine over the “Heel Stone”. This is the signal for the dawn service to begin and the Chief Druid, clad in a long white robe with scarlet hood, leads his followers in procession around the circle of stones before stopping at the Heel Stone. Stonehenge may well have been used as a sacred site where sacrificial rites were performed by the ancient Druids, as claimed by latter-day Druids, who have worshipped there since 1906. However, it was not constructed as such, having been built long before the time of the Druids. Similar vigils take place at other sites such as Avebury and Uffington, the site of a chalk horse.