Happy Easter!

In Richard’s time Easter was equally important as Christmas.  It came after the six weeks of Lent, a period of fasting, when people had to go without foodstuffs like meat and eggs.  Obviously their chickens were not aware of this and continued to lay eggs.  These were boiled and put aside for children to search and find them on Easter morning.  This tradition represented how the disciples were looking for the risen Jesus in his grave. Richard and Anne’s son Edward would probably have enjoyed an Easter egg hunt, possibly followed by a game of egg rolling.  Though these would have been real eggs, not the candy variety most children today regard as Easter eggs.

Easter Sunday would start with a church service at dawn, a tradition which is still alive in many churches, after which everyone was looking forward to a hearty meal and a day off work.  Probably Richard would have invited his friends, families and servants to a special feast at Middleham.

We would like to wish all our readers a very happy Easter.  We hope you enjoy the holidays and look forward to a free day and a feast.

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Tags: Holiday, Medieval Life