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The origin of pancake racing
Pancake races are thought to have begun in 1445. A woman had lost track of the time on Shrove Tuesday, and was busy cooking pancakes in her kitchen.

Suddenly she heard the church bell ringing to call the faithful to church for confession. The woman raced out of her house and ran all the way to church; still holding her frying pan and wearing her apron.

Pancake-racing is one of the more unlikely events on the British sporting calendar and takes place in many towns and villages each Shrove Tuesday. The object of the race is run 450 yards and get to the finishing line first, carrying a frying pan (diameter no larger than 45cm (18 ins)) with a (cooked) pancake in it whilst flipping the pancake a pre-decided number of times. The skill lies not so much in the running of the race but in flipping - and catching - the pancake, which must be intact when the finishing line is reached. Nowadays these events are often held to raise money for charity.

According to the current rules, only women wearing a dress, no slacks or jeans, an apron and a hat or scarf, may take part in the race. Each contestant has a frying pan containing a hot, cooking pancake. She must toss it three times during the race that starts at the market square at 11.55 am. The first woman to complete the winding 375 metre course (the record is 63 seconds set in 1967) and arrive at the church, serve her pancake to the bellringer and be kissed by him, is the winner.

She also receives a prayer book from the vicar

Some say, thunder on Shrove Tuesday foretelleth wind, store of fruit, and plenty. Others affirm that so much as the sun shineth on that day, the like will shine every day in Lent."

Hone, William, The Every-Day Book, or a Guide to the Year, Vol., 1, William Tegg and Co., London, 1878

East Riding, Yorkshire: Throw Egg Day

Egg rolling. Celebrated on Shrove Tuesday. It was believed that young men who did not successfully roll eggs down hill on either Shrove Tuesdayor Easter monday would be ill at harvest-time.

Lent crocking, England

Boys threw rubbish and crockery at doors. In Dorsetshire and Wiltshire this was called Lent crocking. The boys collected broken crockery all year for the day. Their song:

A-shrovin, a-shrovin,
I be come a shrovin;
A piece of bread, a piece of cheese,
A bit of your fat bacon,
Or a dish of dough-nuts,
All of your own makin!

A-shrovin, a-shrovin,
I be come a-shrovin,
Nice meat in a pie,
My mouth is very dry!
I wish a wuz zoo well-a-wet
I'de zing the louder for a nut!

If no food was given, crockery was thrown at the door.
Evans; ibid

Nicky, nicky, nan,
Give me a pancake and then I'll be gone.
But if you give me none,
I'll throw a great stone
And down your door shall come.

Traditional rhyme, Cornwall, UK; Source: Whitlock, ibid

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