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Today is Mother’s Day in Great Britain. Mother’s Day or Mothering Sunday is celebrated in many countries but often it is in May. There are special reasons why it is celebrated on the fourth Sunday in lent here in Britain. There is also a unique tradition associated with it of the Simnel Cake, a special Easter treat. The history of Mother’s Day can be traced back to pagan traditions and celebrations in honour of Rhea the mother of the gods which took place in ancient Greece. During the 1

Today (12th March) she is attending the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey. Her annual message to the Commonwealth will also be broadcast to all member countries. If you are visiting London and have walked down the Mall to Buckingham Palace you passed the Marlborough house which houses the Commonwealth Secretariat, it stands next to St James’s Palace. To many visitors from abroad the Commonwealth is a bit of a mystery, what exactly is the Commonwealth? It is a voluntary association of 5

She is attending the Royal Maundy service at St George’s Chapel Windsor Castle and distributing Maundy money to elderly people in recognition of their service to their community and their church. (more…)

9th June 2018 Today the Queen is celebrating her official birthday, her actual birthday is April 21st. The tradition of our monarchs having two birthdays a year actually has to do with the weather, if their real birthday is in the winter traditionally the Trooping of the Colour, which is the official birthday parade, has taken place in the summer. Throughout the Queen’s reign the Trooping of the Colour has usually been held on the second Saturday in June. Regimental flags are traditional

When you are walking around London look out for Blue Plaques on buildings. They mark the buildings were a notable person lived or worked. The first one was erected in 1875, commemorating Lord Byron, it was put up by the Royal Society of Arts, later the authorising of Blue Plaques passed to London County Council and its successor the Greater London Council and now English Heritage is in charge. Around 20 new plaques are added each year. 20 years has to have passed from th

Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday which marks the start of Lent which is the period of 40 days leading up to Easter and the remembrance of Christ’s death on the cross and the celebration of his resurrection. The word ‘shrove’ comes from the old practice of being ‘shriven’ – meaning to confess one’s sins and receive absolution from a priest. The shriving bell would be rung on Shrove Tuesday to call people to church to confess. Lent is a period o

Today is Ash Wednesday, churches and cathedrals will change their altar frontals to purple for the start of lent. Some cathedrals will also cover the reredos, the screen behind the altar for the duration of Lent. The colour of altar frontals changes for each season of the Church’s year. Purple is for Advent and Lent, red for Holy Week and Pentecost and days when we remember the martyrs of he church. White or gold is for the celebratory seasons such as Christmas, Epipha

The idea of Royal warrant holders can be traced back to medieval times, the monarch always needed to be fed, clothed and the castle repaired. Tradesmen benefited from having such a prestigious client.