# What/When is St. Swithins Day? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 7, 2003, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-when-is-st-swithins-day/153565 "2003-02-07T21:26:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-when-is-st-swithins-day/153565/1 "2003-02-07T21:26:05Z")
I heard a mention of this day on TV. It rang a bell, but I can’t place it. So, when is St. Swithins Day, and what is the origin? Who was St. Swithins? - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-when-is-st-swithins-day/153565/2 "2003-02-07T21:33:37Z")
[http://www.weathernotebook.org/transcripts/1997/07/15.html](http://www.weathernotebook.org/transcripts/1997/07/15.html) [quote] The monks of Winchester cathedral decided that the final resting place of the long since dead, saintly Bishop Swithins, should not be outside under the “sweet rain from heaven” as Saint Swithins had commanded, but inside the basilica. So on July 15th, 971 they moved him. The story goes that as St. Swithins was being exhumed, it started to rain, normally not a problem. But, the rain didn’t stop for forty days and forty nights…sounds familiar doesn’t it? It turns out that the monks of Winchester were condemned for their poor judgement. They had angered the spirit of St. Swithins by moving his grave site. He liked things just fine where he was and he showed his disapproval by making it rain like crazy. Anyway, this little episode gave birth to the weather saying that you might still hear today, that if on St. Swithins Day comes the rain, for forty days it will remain. So let’s hope that it doesn’t rain tomorrow, because if St. Swithins has still got it, he just might make it rain all the way until St. Bartholomews Day, and who knows what he’ll do.[/quote ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-when-is-st-swithins-day/153565/3 "2003-02-07T21:40:55Z")
July 15. Swithin was bishop of Winchester, dying in July, 862. He asked to be buried in the churchyard where the steps of people walking and the rain could each fall on his grave. (I’m not sure why, aside for a possible nod toward humility.) About 100 years later (after he was canonized? after the Cathedral was completed? I’m not sure of the event), they dug him up to move him into an honored tomb in the cathedral on July 15, 971, at which time a terrific storm broke out. (In protest?) Since that time, his feast has been a “weather predicter” similar to Groundhog’s day. If it rains on his feast, the next six week (or 40 days) will be rainy, but if it is fair, that period will be dry. This might be an extension of an older pagan legend about predicting the weather in high summer, since the French have a similar legend about St. Médard and his June 8 feastday. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-when-is-st-swithins-day/153565/4 "2003-02-07T21:51:41Z")
In the popular parlance, “Saint Swithins Day” has come to mean “a meaningless or ridiculous holiday.” EMPLOYEE: Boss, can I take Christmas off this year? BOSS: My boy, if I let you do that, you’ll be wanting to take Saint Swithins Day off next! ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-when-is-st-swithins-day/153565/5 "2003-02-07T21:55:02Z")
…also an excellent song by Billy Bragg ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-when-is-st-swithins-day/153565/6 "2003-02-07T23:30:12Z")
> [@](#): > > St. Swithin’s day, if it doth rain, > For forty days it will remain. > St. Swithin’s day, if it be fair, > For forty days 'twill rain nae mair. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2003, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-when-is-st-swithins-day/153565/7 "2003-02-08T00:38:37Z")
It’s also a comic book story by Grant Morrisson, about a really self-indulgent teenager who has a bone to pick with Margaret Thatcher. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2003, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-when-is-st-swithins-day/153565/8 "2003-02-08T00:48:55Z")
…and it figures prominently in a speech by Henry V in HENRY V ---
**Author:** ![Stormfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@Stormfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stormfield)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2003, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-when-is-st-swithins-day/153565/9 "2003-02-08T00:57:01Z")
My middle name is Swithin. I was given the name because it was thought that I would be born on July 15th; however, I didn’t make an appearance until the 28th. ---
**Author:** ![Katisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bcef8e/32.png) [@Katisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katisha)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2003, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-when-is-st-swithins-day/153565/10 "2003-02-08T01:05:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by C K Dexter Haven \* > \*\*…and it figures prominently in a speech by Henry V in HENRY V \*\* That’s Saint _Crispin’s_ Day! _This day is called the feast of Crispian. He that outlives this day, and comes safe home, Shall stand a-tiptoe when this day is named And rouse him at the name of Crispian…_ It goes on for a while. Probably too long to post, but it’s a wonderful speech. (If you want act-scene-line references, it’s _Henry V,_ 4.3.43-69 or thereabouts.) ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2003, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-when-is-st-swithins-day/153565/11 "2003-02-08T03:36:03Z")
Ooops. Sorry. What I get for not paying attention. Swithin, Crispin, Rasputin, Sneezy, Happy, all them Saints get me confused.