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Custom · Quainton

The Quainton Thorn and Old Christmas

After eleven days disappeared from the calendar, Quainton asked a thorn tree to decide when Christmas was. The tree had an answer.

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Illustration: The Christmas Thorn
The legend
Custom

The Christmas Thorn

Two thousand lanterns, one stubborn thorn tree.

Stand where it happened

What's there
Village green, church and windmill; thorn site lost
Legend from
1750s
Best time
Christmas Eve
Tone
Curious
TreesCustomsSaints

Before you go

The thorn's site is not known; the village, its green and windmill can be visited, but nothing marks the story.

  • Quainton (village)
  • Near Church Street, Quainton
  • The pin marks the village; the exact spot isn't recorded.
  • Date24 December (1753 thorn watch)

Quainton, 1753: two thousand people stood by a thorn tree with lanterns, waiting to see whether the new Christmas was real.

When Britain changed its calendar in 1752, eleven days vanished and many people doubted the new Christmas. At Quainton grew a blackthorn said to be a slip of the Holy Thorn of Glastonbury, believed to bud on Christmas Eve, flower on Christmas Day and fade by night. On Christmas Eve 1753 more than two thousand people went out with lanterns and candles to watch it. When no bud appeared, they decided the new 25 December could not be the true Christmas, refused to go to church or entertain friends, and local ministers gave in, announcing that Old Christmas Day would be kept as before.

One sourceOnly one written account of this legend has been found so far.

Sources

  1. The Quainton thorn, Folk Calendar (quoting Hone's Every-Day Book vol 2) â_x0080__x0094_
  2. Buckinghamshire Notes and Queries: The Quainton Thorn, Records of Bucks vol 1 â_x0080__x0094_