6 Peculiar British Traditions That Will Blow Your Mind after You Move to London

Great Britain has many secrets, and you will be amazed by how many peculiar festivals and competitions take place here. If you are ready to move to Dorset or you are just visiting the country, be prepared for the best time of your life. Enjoy this list of peculiar events held all around the UK.

There Is a Thing Called Wife Carrying

Wife carrying is a contest in which the male carries on his shoulders his female partner. The idea is to carry your wife through an obstacle course and be the fastest to do so. This is actually an established sport in the UK since 2008. Wife carrying originates from the old Viking traditions of kidnapping local girls. Nowadays you must only carry your own wife.

Unleash the Hens

Yes, you read this correctly, for more than a hundred years the people of Bonsall, organise an annual World Hen Racing Championships. Thousands of people gather at this free and family-friendly event to see the hens run. Fighting amongst the animals is strictly forbidden. People train their chickens and develop different tactics and strategies in order to win the race. This event is by all Brits but especially the children, so now you know where to go for a fun family day.

Worm Charming Is a Real Thing

Prepare to be amazed. Worm charming is a method of extrapolating earthworms from the ground to use them as bait. So far so good, nothing very strange. However, the good people of Devon have created a whole worm festival. Held in the small village of Blackawton the International Festival of Worm Charming takes place during the early May Bank Holiday. You will be surprised to know how many people attend this event annually. You don’t have to search for worms, leave this task to the kids, have a glass of beer or try out some of the best food in the county.

The Straw Bears Are Moving to Town

This is a charming tradition that is more than a hundred years old. The festival of the Straw Bear or “Strawbower” is an old custom practised only from a small area of Fenland and especially in the town of Whittlesey. It is held on Plough Tuesday, the day after the first Monday after Twelfth Night. A man or a boy wears a costume made out of the best straws in the area. He is led through the city and would dance and perform tricks in exchange for small gifts, money, food or beer. The festival is so popular, farmers would purposely keep their best straw for the making of the bear costume. The celebrations are held the whole weekend with a lot of different events accompany the walk of the bear. It is held on Plough Tuesday, the day after the first Monday after Twelfth Night.

Moving to Dorset for the Nettle

We are talking about an incredible international competition that annually gathers hundreds of people in the small village of Marshwood in Dorset. The famous World Nettle Eating Championship is a peculiar event that takes place in the Bottle Inn pub. It started back in 1997 when a local farmer lost a bet and had to eat the stem of the longest nettle. Bear in mind that raw nettle stings like crazy and we don’t recommend it altho the competitors say it only tingles a little.

Relocating to London for the Twelfth Night

Every year a peculiar festival takes place near Shakespeare’s Globe. A man dressed in an ivy suit travels the River Thames with a rowing boat accompanied by a merry posse. They wish “wassail” to the gathered crowds which mean “good health.” You can go and see the Mummers perform a traditional folk play telling the stories of such peculiar heroes as Old ‘Oss, Clever Legs and Turkey Sniper.
The festivities mark the twelfth night after Christmas – the last day before people return to their work. This is the perfect event to attend after a house change to London, you will get to know better your community and make a lot of fun memories.

Stephanie Cooper

Stephanie is a content marketing specialist for Top Removals for the past several years. She has extensive experience working with moving companies and knows her audience. Stephanie creates engaging and useful content helping the customers of Top Removals with their struggles and providing them with the most accurate insight.