After the Reformation in England, the number of Saint's or Holy Days was reduced to a very small number of 'official' holidays, and the government put considerable effort into suppressing the observance of the traditional holy days. They did this both for religious reasons, but also because too many working days were being lost, and harvests seriously affected. At the time England was on the verge of war with Spain, and the government was building up the country's defensives.
There is a facinating account of the change in the traditional festivals during the sixteenth cebtury in a book called 'Bonfires and Bells'. I can't remember the author, but can find out if anyone is interested.
There are certainly recorded accounts of royal officials reporting back to London that people in distant rural areas are still observing the old catholic festivals, and need to be enlightened into the new doctrines.
>
> One respondent to Mike's query was probably right in suggesting that St.
> Barbara became the protector of miners after the advent of explosives.
>
> There was, to my knowledge, no observation of dedicated miners holy days in
> England and Wales, and none are recognised in those mining customs codified
> or recited in the late medieval period. If St. Barbara was a creation of the
> gunpowder era, then she would not have found favour with a mining industry
> which was to develop as a breeding ground for protestant non-conformism.
>
> Peter
> >
Lynette
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Lynette M. Costello
Faculty of Law,
University of Exeter,
Amory Building,
Rennes Drive,
EXETER,
Devon. EX4 4RJ
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