Project Gutenberg 2004-12-10 Public domain in the USA. 112 Ditchfield, P. H. (Peter Hampson) 1854 1930 Ditchfield, Peter Hampson Ditchfield, Peter H. (Peter Hampson) Old English Sports, Pastimes and Customs Reading ease score: 61.8 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read. E-text prepared by Jonathan Ingram, Richard J. Shiffer, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team "Old English Sports, Pastimes and Customs" by P. H. Ditchfield is a historical account published in the late 19th century that explores the rich tapestry of traditional English sports, games, and rural customs from bygone eras. The author paints a vibrant picture of how these practices were intertwined with the seasons and various holiday festivals throughout the year, reflecting a way of life that has largely faded in modern times. The opening of the text introduces readers to the engaging customs of January, highlighting the festive atmosphere surrounding New Year’s celebrations, wassailing traditions, and games such as sword dancing. Ditchfield articulates a sense of nostalgia, lamenting the loss of these joyful pastimes amidst the encroachment of modernity. Through detailed descriptions, he conveys the significance of community gatherings and the unique sports that characterized rural English life, setting the stage for a deeper examination of the festivals and customs that define each month of the year. This delightful account promises to revive interest in the communal spirit of English village life and its customs, making it a captivating read for those interested in history and cultural heritage. (This is an automatically generated summary.) en England -- Social life and customs Holidays -- England Amusements -- England DA Text Browsing: Culture/Civilization/Society Browsing: History - European 249364 246081 2024-10-06T12:17:28.388978 2023-10-06T12:32:15.359038 text/html text/html 240479 2020-12-18T21:42:57 text/html; charset=iso-8859-1 2984234 2020-12-18T21:42:57 text/html; charset=iso-8859-1 application/zip 3181089 2024-10-06T12:17:45.626890 application/epub+zip 3162898 2024-10-06T12:17:34.818961 application/epub+zip 147804 2024-10-06T12:17:31.114991 application/epub+zip 3830178 2024-10-06T12:17:51.762882 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 3787385 2024-10-06T12:17:40.838960 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 311691 2022-09-07T15:41:24.894670 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 185351 185250 2024-10-06T12:17:26.975036 2023-10-06T12:32:14.253036 text/plain; charset=us-ascii text/plain 184997 2020-12-18T21:42:57 text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 72445 2020-12-18T21:42:57 text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 application/zip 185009 2020-12-18T21:42:57 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 72434 2020-12-18T21:42:57 text/plain; charset=us-ascii application/zip 21898 2024-10-06T12:17:51.975876 application/rdf+xml 17209 2024-10-06T12:17:31.724980 image/jpeg 3988 2024-10-06T12:17:31.432972 image/jpeg 3080867 2024-10-06T12:17:28.597979 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia