| The festivals and fasts often used to date events are too numerous to list but the following are the fixed ones most often found, plus some of the dates observed as 'solemn days'. In most parishes the day of the Saint to whom the local church is dedicated may also be used for dating purposes. The eve of the festivals marked with an asterisk '*' was kept as a fast, but when the festival fell on a Monday the fast was kept on the previous Saturday. The most important movable Feast is Easter Day and a separate listing can be accessed via the link provided which also lists the dates of other movable feasts which are determined from Easter Day (*) The eve of the festivals marked thus was kept as a fast, but when the festival fell on a Monday, the fast was kept on the previous Saturday. [Source: most are extracts from The Dictionary of Genealogy by Terrick VH FitzHugh Second edition published 1988, to which I have added a few ] |
| January | 1st - Circumcision 6th - Epiphany, Twelfth Day 13th - St Hilary the Bishop 30th - Death of Charles, King and martyr (solemn day) |
| February | 2nd - Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Candlemas) 24th - St Matthias* |
| March | 25th - Annunciation of the Blessed virgin mary * (Lady Day, s quarter day) |
| April | 23rd - St George |
| May | 1st - St Philip and St James the Less (May Day) 29th - Restoration of Charles II (solemn Day) |
| June | 24th - Nativity of St John the Baptist* (Midsummer day, quarter day) 29th - St Peter the Apostle* |
| July | 25th - St James the Apostle* |
| August | 24th - St Bartholomew the Apostle* |
| September | 21st - St Matthew the Apostle* 29th - St Michael and All Angels (Michaelmas, a quarter day) |
| October | 18th - St Luke the Evangelist 25th - St Crispin, anniversary of Agincourt 28th - St Simon and St Jude the Apostles* |
| November | 1st - All Saints (All Hallows) * 2nd - All Souls 5th - Gunpowder Plot (solemn Day) 30th - St andrew the Apostle* |
| December | 6th - St Nicholas 21st - St Thomas the Apostle* 25th - Christmas Day* (quarter Day) 26th - St Stephen 28th - Holy innocents |