Each year, at Lammas I repost this article.
I hope you’ll enjoy it now as much as I always do.
Please keep reading after the main article to learn more about this great lady.
Phyllis was not just a fellow author, and client. She was like a second mother to me. She came into my life at a time when I truly needed the directional hand of a mother. Though she originally contacted me, to assist with the promotion of her work, before long she’d slipped naturally into that role and I happily allowed it.
She, like so many in my life left way too soon. Now, as I work in the early hours of this new day, I grieve yet another friend. I’m comforted by the thought that Phyllis and late author and poet Tori Zigler are sharing a cup of tea while chatting happily about writing and animals.
OK. Enough from me, here’s Phyllis.

LAMMAS ALMOST FORGOTTEN CELEBRATION
BY PHYLLIS STATON CAMPBELL
Reprinted from Our Special, September-October 2019
Lately I’ve been rereading old favorites. There’s something about a book you’ve read before, whether it’s a childhood favorite, or something you may have read recently. You know what is going to happen, and if it is something exciting or poignant, you wait for it to happen. Often, and I can’t explain why, it’s as exciting or heart rending as it was before.
Two such series are the books by Elis Peters, featuring the sometimes conniving, for the good, of course, and compassionate monk Brother Cadfael. The other, is the series by Ken Follett. In both series the festival of Lammas is mentioned. I wanted to know more about this ancient festival, so, off I went to my old friend Firefox.
In both series, the festival is celebrated with all in the village bringing a loaf of bread to be shared with all. These weren’t just bread, but all kinds of bread,
, onion bread, garlic bread, salt bread, just to name a few. Some were the conventional loaf shape, where others defied convention, presenting original creations, hearts, bow knots, figure-eights, and even the cathedral that was under construction, as it would look when completed. In the Peters series, the festival was only mentioned in passing.
I wondered how the poor who were unable to afford an oven managed to bake their Lammas loaf. The book stated that they “borrowed ovens from neighbors, or were allowed to use the large ovens at the priory.
In the Northern Hemisphere the festival of Lammas, sometimes known as loaf mass, was held August, first, until September, first. In the Southern Hemisphere it was held from February until March.
Although the loaves were brought to the priest for a blessing, they were sometimes associated with magic. An example of this is that the loaf was broken into four pieces, and placed in the four corners of the barn to protect the grain stored there.
In many parts of England tenants were required to present their lord (landlord) fresh grain around the first of August.
In the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, where it is referred to regularly, it is called “the feast of first fruits”. The blessing of first fruits was performed annually in both the Eastern and Western Churches on the first or the sixth of August (the latter being the feast of the Transfiguration of Christ).
Lammas has coincided with the feast of St. Peter in Chains, commemorating St. Peter’s miraculous deliverance from prison, but in the liturgical reform of 1969, the feast of St. Alphonsus Liguori was transferred to this day, the day of St. Alphonsus’ death.
There are a number of cultural references to the Feast of Lammas.
“In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet (1.3.19) it is observed of Juliet, “Come Lammas Eve at night shall she [Juliet] be fourteen.” Since Juliet was born Lammas eve, she came before the harvest festival, which is significant since her life ended before she could reap what she had sown and enjoy the bounty of the harvest, in this case full consummation and enjoyment of her love with Romeo.”
“Another well-known cultural reference is the opening of The Battle of Otterburn: “It fell about the Lammas tide when the muir-men win their hay.”.
“William Hone speaks in The Every-Day Book (1838) of a later festive Lammas day sport common among Scottish farmers near Edinburgh. He says that they “build towers…leaving a hole for a flag-pole in the centre so that they may raise their colors.” When the flags over the many peat-constructed towers were raised, farmers would go to others’ towers and attempt to “level them to the ground.” A successful attempt would bring great praise. However, people were allowed to defend their towers, and so everyone was provided with a “tooting-horn” to alert nearby country folk of the impending attack and the battle would turn into a “brawl.” According to Hone, more than four people had died at this festival and many more were injured. At the day’s end, races were held, with prizes given to the townspeople.”
Other sources speak of more family oriented sports events. Children, women and men took part in foot races, in their respective groups. Men and older boys took part in archery competitions. There is no mention of prizes, but I suspect they were awarded.
I couldn’t determine whether any areas still celebrate this festival, but it is possible that some rural areas in England might, just as a few still celebrate Harvest Home. I can’t help thinking how, in some ways, they resemble group picnics here in the US, where such things as horseshoe contests and foot races are held.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Phyllis Staton Campbell, who was born blind, writes about the world she knows best. She calls on her experience as teacher of the blind, peer counselor and youth transition coordinator. She says that she lives the lives of her characters: lives of sorrow and joy; triumph and failure; hope and despair. That she and her characters sometimes see the world in a different way, adds depth to the story. She sees color in the warmth of the sun on her face, the smell of rain, the call of a cardinal, and God, in a rainbow of love and grace.
Although she was born in Amherst County, Virginia, she lived most of her life in Staunton, Virginia, where she served as organist at historic Faith Lutheran church, not far from the home she shared with her husband, Chuck, who waited beyond that door called death for her.
Sadly, Phyllis passed away at approximately 8 AM, January 13, 2021.

She was a graduate of the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind (DPT for the Blind). Further education, Lynchburg College, Lynchburg, Virginia; Creative Writing, The Hadley Institute for the Blind; Creative Writing Creative Writing Institute; Novel Writing University of Wisconsin-Madison
Books by Phyllis Campbell.

New Release 2017
Where Sheep May Safely Graze

Other books by Phyllis Campbell…

COME HOME MY HEART, 1985.
REPRINTED IN 2001

FRIENDSHIPS IN THE DARK, 1996 Reprint 1997

The Evil Men Do 2006, true crime, written under contract for the family of the victim.

Who Will hear Them Cry, April 2012

A Place To Belong August 2012

Out of the Night February 2014
To see more visit: http://www.amazon.com/author/psc-books-all

Many of Phyllis’s books can also be found at: https://nlsbard.loc.gov