St Swithins Day

According to English folklore, if it rains on St Swithin's Day - July 15 - it is said that 40 days of rain will follow.

An ancient rhyme sums up the legend:

'St Swithin’s Day, if it does rain
Full forty days, it will remain
St Swithin’s Day, if it be fair
For forty days, t'will rain no mair.'

St. Swithin (sometimes spelt Swithun) was a Saxon Bishop of Winchester and legend has it that as he lay on his deathbed, he asked to be buried out of doors, at one with nature, where the rain could fall on his grave.

For nine years, his wishes were followed, but then, on 15 July 971, the monks of Winchester attempted to remove his remains to a splendid shrine inside the cathedral. There was a heavy rain storm during the ceremony, which was taken to be a sign of St Swithin’s protest at the move.

However, Met office records over the years show that rain on St Swithin's Day has not always been followed by 40 continuous days of bad weather.

Unfortunately, sunshine on St Swithin's Day gives no guarantee of fine weather for 40days. This year 15 July was fine in most parts of England, but there has been rain since then.