Midsummer madness and eccentricity

For some people, Midsummer's Day occurred two days ago at the summer solstice, on June 21st

For some people, Midsummer's Day occurred two days ago at the summer solstice, on June 21st. More popular tradition, however, has it that June 24th, the feast-day of St John the Baptist, is Midsummer, and the day is noteworthy for the wealth of superstition that surrounds it, much of it going back to pagan times.

Midsummer's Day used to be one of the four "Quarter Days" of the year; the other three being Lady Day on March 25th, Michaelmas on September 29th, and Christmas Day, which falls, of course, on December 25th.

In bygone times Quarter Days were dreaded or eagerly awaited, depending on your position on the economic ladder: they were the dates on which rents became due and on which all manner of other financial and legal transactions were carried out.

In many cultures, it is today, the vigil of the feast, that is considered more significant. There is an ancient belief, for example, that on Midsummer's Eve the soul wanders from the body and makes its way on a sort of preliminary visit to the eventual place of death.

READ MORE

Bonfires were lit, and indeed still are, on Midsummer's Eve; traditionally they were called "bone-fires", and correctly so, since bones from oxen, sheep or pigs were often used as fuel.

According to the authoritative medieval manual Festyvall, published in 1515: "in the worship of St John the people made three manner of fires; one was of clean bones and no wood, and that is called a bone-fire; another of clean wood and no bones and that is called a woodfire; and the third is made of wood and bones, and is called St John's Fire."

It is a period, we are told, around which those with a tendency in that direction show very evident signs of eccentricity. It was assumed in bygone days that the condition was brought on by the heat of the summer sun and would reach a peak around "midsummer moon", the full moon nearest to the summer solstice. Midsummer moon occurred this year on Bloomsday, June 16th, which must surely add to its significance.

Indeed eccentricity of one kind or another surrounds the whole concept of midsummer. Its most obvious quirk, perhaps, is that it is clearly eccentric in a literal sense from the middle of the summer. If one takes as "summer" the three warmest months of the year in the northern hemisphere - June, July and August - then Midsummer's Day must fall on or around July 15th, which to add to the confusion turns out to be St Swithin's Day as well.