Rogation Days

Rogation Days
   These are the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday before *Ascension Day, on which, before the Reformation, priests led processions round the fields, blessing crops and praying for good harvests. A secondary purpose was to bless the main boundary markers of each parish, in towns as well as rural areas. A cross, relics, hand-bells, and banners were carried; those taking part were sometimes given a communal meal supplied from church funds, or received food at the houses they passed. The event was also known as Cross Days or, in northern districts, Gang Days (from gang = 'walk').
   Inevitably, some early Protestants attacked the processions as superstitious; how far they succeeded is debated (Thomas, 1971: 62-5; Hutton, 1994: 175-7). However, there were financial reasons why parishes wished to establish exact boundaries publicly, so a modified form of the custom, minus its blessings and other Catholic features, was established under Elizabeth I and became widespread in the 17th century, especially after the Restoration. It was known as *beat-ing the bounds.
   ■ Wright and Lones, 1936: i. 129-38; Hutton, 1996: 277-87.

A Dictionary of English folklore. . 2014.

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