Knowledge

Nickanan Night

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77:, about the dusk of the evening, it is the custom for boys, and, in some cases, for those who are above the age of boys, to prowl about the streets with short clubs, and to knock loudly at every door, running off to escape detection on the slightest sign of a motion within. If, however, no attention be excited, and especially if any article be discovered negligently exposed, or carelessly guarded, then the things are carried away; and on the following day are discovered displayed in some conspicuous place, to expose the disgraceful want of vigilance supposed to characterise the owner. The time when this is practised is called 'Nicka-nan night' and the individuals concerned are supposed to represent some imps of darkness, that seize on and expose unguarded moments. 452: 1048: 305: 45:
and play practical jokes on neighbours and family. The name Nickanan may come from the practice of knocking on doors and running away which is known as
1108: 360: 187:. Fire rituals such as those associated with the Jack-O-Lent may also indicate Celtic pagan origins and may be closely related to the 1083: 992: 155:. This practice was known as 'going a triggin' and the produce gathered known as 'trigg meat'. This is still practised at 1007: 420: 353: 171:
During this 'Nickanan' period another custom prevailed throughout Cornwall. In some villages it was usual to make a '
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guy. This Jack-o-Lent was paraded through local communities and pelted with projectiles and then burned on a
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during the 'Nickanan' season indicates similarity to St Ives feast and other festivities near
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The following rhyme was used by the Cornish children during the evening and the following day
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In coastal communities it was also traditional to gather shell fish such as
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in some parts of the English-speaking world. The eating of
183:. This practice was until the late 19th century common in 22:(sometimes called Hall Monday or Peasen Monday) is a 300: 53:and salt bacon was also associated with this date. 278:(a 19th-century booklet held by Penzance Library) 128:Or I will souse in your door with a row—tow—tow. 1065: 354: 226:MA Courtney Cornish feast and feasten cutoms 106:Give me some pancake, and then I'll be gone 56: 361: 347: 236:The Cornish Traditional Year - Simon Reed 211:still occurs during the run up to Lent. 368: 265:Popular Romances of the West of England 37:Sometimes called roguery night in West 1066: 207:. The 'Hurling of the silver ball' at 175:' a straw figure dressed not unlike a 342: 90: 1109:Holidays based on the date of Easter 993:Federation of Old Cornwall Societies 13: 1008:Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society 289:Cornish Feasts and Feasten Customs 14: 1120: 26:feast, traditionally held during 1046: 450: 303: 253:. Oxford University Press. 1855. 1084:Carnivals in the United Kingdom 166: 126:Give me a pancake, now—now—now, 112:And down your door shall come. 825:Come, all ye jolly tinner boys 281: 269: 257: 241: 229: 220: 159:by people living close to the 1: 1018:Royal Institution of Cornwall 214: 138: 1003:Institute of Cornish Studies 7: 846:The Song of the Western Men 296: 10: 1125: 194: 65:described Nickanan Night: 1041: 985: 907: 859: 802: 769: 760: 657: 584: 553: 460: 447: 416:Cornish kilts and tartans 391: 376: 1028:Movyans Skolyow Meythrin 566:Cornish pilot-gig racing 110:I'll throw a great stone 57:19th century description 751:The Pirates of Penzance 665:List of Cornish writers 576:Rugby union in Cornwall 108:But if you give me none 1089:Unofficial observances 675:Cornwall Film Festival 136: 115: 88: 47:Nicky nicky nine doors 1094:Festivals in Cornwall 1022:Royal Cornwall Museum 942:Jack the Giant Killer 894:Prayer Book Rebellion 123: 101: 67: 1074:February observances 839:Hail to the Homeland 83:Thomas Quiller Couch 63:Thomas Quiller Couch 61:In the 19th century 1079:Culture of Cornwall 1053:Cornwall portal 1013:Royal Cornwall Show 899:Radyo an Gernewegva 811:Bro Goth agan Tasow 789:Fisherman's Friends 619:Cornish Gilliflower 370:Culture of Cornwall 874:Cornish literature 670:Tristan and Iseult 480:Chewidden Thursday 436:Saint Piran's Flag 319:Chewidden Thursday 199:The popularity of 91:Traditional rhymes 69:On the day termed 30:, specifically on 1104:Cornish festivals 1061: 1060: 962:Mermaid of Zennor 855: 854: 730:Rosamunde Pilcher 710:Daphne du Maurier 609:Cornish cream tea 571:Cornish wrestling 545:Tom Bawcock's Eve 500:Kernewek Lowender 421:Jonathan Trelawny 384:Gonisogeth Kernow 324:Tom Bawcock's Eve 250:Notes and Queries 73:, which precedes 1116: 1051: 1050: 1049: 1033:Akademi Kernewek 884:Beunans Meriasek 774:Cornish bagpipes 767: 766: 705:Barbara Hepworth 614:Cornish fairings 455: 454: 441:Scillonian Cross 363: 356: 349: 340: 339: 313: 308: 307: 306: 291: 287:Courtney. M. A. 285: 279: 276:The Cornish Year 273: 267: 261: 255: 254: 245: 239: 233: 227: 224: 177:Guy Fawkes Night 134: 86: 1124: 1123: 1119: 1118: 1117: 1115: 1114: 1113: 1064: 1063: 1062: 1057: 1047: 1045: 1037: 981: 937:Cruel Coppinger 917:Beast of Bodmin 903: 851: 798: 756: 715:William Golding 695:Charles Causley 653: 604:Cornish cheeses 580: 561:Cornish hurling 549: 505:Montol Festival 456: 449: 445: 387: 372: 367: 311:Cornwall portal 309: 304: 302: 299: 294: 286: 282: 274: 270: 262: 258: 247: 246: 242: 234: 230: 225: 221: 217: 209:St Columb Major 201:Cornish Hurling 197: 169: 141: 135: 133: 130: 127: 114: 111: 109: 107: 105: 104:Nicka nicka nan 93: 87: 81: 59: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1122: 1112: 1111: 1106: 1101: 1096: 1091: 1086: 1081: 1076: 1059: 1058: 1056: 1055: 1042: 1039: 1038: 1036: 1035: 1030: 1025: 1015: 1010: 1005: 1000: 998:Gorsedh Kernow 995: 989: 987: 983: 982: 980: 979: 974: 969: 964: 959: 954: 949: 944: 939: 934: 929: 924: 919: 913: 911: 905: 904: 902: 901: 896: 891: 886: 881: 876: 871: 865: 863: 857: 856: 853: 852: 850: 849: 842: 835: 828: 821: 814: 806: 804: 800: 799: 797: 796: 791: 786: 781: 779:Brenda Wootton 776: 770: 764: 758: 757: 755: 754: 747: 745:Minack Theatre 742: 737: 732: 727: 722: 717: 712: 707: 702: 697: 692: 687: 685:St Ives School 682: 677: 672: 667: 661: 659: 655: 654: 652: 651: 646: 641: 636: 631: 626: 621: 616: 611: 606: 601: 596: 590: 588: 582: 581: 579: 578: 573: 568: 563: 557: 555: 551: 550: 548: 547: 542: 540:St Piran's Day 537: 532: 527: 522: 517: 515:Nickanan Night 512: 507: 502: 497: 492: 487: 482: 477: 472: 466: 464: 458: 457: 448: 446: 444: 443: 438: 433: 428: 426:Michael An Gof 423: 418: 413: 408: 406:Cornish chough 403: 397: 395: 389: 388: 377: 374: 373: 366: 365: 358: 351: 343: 337: 336: 331: 326: 321: 315: 314: 298: 295: 293: 292: 280: 268: 256: 240: 228: 218: 216: 213: 196: 193: 168: 165: 140: 137: 131: 124: 102: 97:Shrove Tuesday 92: 89: 79: 75:Shrove Tuesday 58: 55: 20:Nickanan Night 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1121: 1110: 1107: 1105: 1102: 1100: 1097: 1095: 1092: 1090: 1087: 1085: 1082: 1080: 1077: 1075: 1072: 1071: 1069: 1054: 1044: 1043: 1040: 1034: 1031: 1029: 1026: 1023: 1019: 1016: 1014: 1011: 1009: 1006: 1004: 1001: 999: 996: 994: 991: 990: 988: 986:Organisations 984: 978: 975: 973: 970: 968: 965: 963: 960: 958: 955: 953: 950: 948: 945: 943: 940: 938: 935: 933: 930: 928: 925: 923: 920: 918: 915: 914: 912: 910: 906: 900: 897: 895: 892: 890: 887: 885: 882: 880: 877: 875: 872: 870: 869:Anglo-Cornish 867: 866: 864: 862: 858: 847: 843: 840: 836: 833: 829: 826: 822: 819: 818:Camborne Hill 815: 812: 808: 807: 805: 801: 795: 792: 790: 787: 785: 782: 780: 777: 775: 772: 771: 768: 765: 763: 759: 753: 752: 748: 746: 743: 741: 738: 736: 733: 731: 728: 726: 725:H. C. McNeile 723: 721: 718: 716: 713: 711: 708: 706: 703: 701: 700:Newlyn School 698: 696: 693: 691: 688: 686: 683: 681: 678: 676: 673: 671: 668: 666: 663: 662: 660: 656: 650: 647: 645: 642: 640: 637: 635: 632: 630: 629:Hog's pudding 627: 625: 622: 620: 617: 615: 612: 610: 607: 605: 602: 600: 599:Clotted cream 597: 595: 592: 591: 589: 587: 583: 577: 574: 572: 569: 567: 564: 562: 559: 558: 556: 552: 546: 543: 541: 538: 536: 533: 531: 528: 526: 523: 521: 518: 516: 513: 511: 508: 506: 503: 501: 498: 496: 493: 491: 488: 486: 483: 481: 478: 476: 473: 471: 468: 467: 465: 463: 459: 453: 442: 439: 437: 434: 432: 429: 427: 424: 422: 419: 417: 414: 412: 411:Cornish heath 409: 407: 404: 402: 399: 398: 396: 394: 390: 386: 385: 380: 375: 371: 364: 359: 357: 352: 350: 345: 344: 341: 335: 332: 330: 327: 325: 322: 320: 317: 316: 312: 301: 290: 284: 277: 272: 266: 263:Hunt, Robert 260: 252: 251: 244: 237: 232: 223: 219: 212: 210: 206: 202: 192: 190: 186: 182: 178: 174: 164: 162: 161:Helford River 158: 154: 150: 146: 129: 122: 120: 113: 100: 98: 84: 78: 76: 72: 66: 64: 54: 52: 48: 44: 40: 35: 33: 32:Shrove Monday 29: 25: 21: 16:Cornish feast 832:Delkiow Sivy 749: 740:D. M. Thomas 735:Derek Tangye 690:W. J. Burley 680:Tate St Ives 649:Cornish Yarg 644:Stargazy pie 514: 510:Mummer's Day 401:Celtic cross 383: 382: 288: 283: 275: 271: 264: 259: 249: 243: 235: 231: 222: 198: 173:Jack o' Lent 170: 167:Jack o' Lent 142: 125: 121:, this was: 116: 103: 94: 68: 60: 36: 19: 18: 952:King Arthur 922:Blunderbore 639:Saffron bun 535:Picrous Day 485:Furry Dance 431:Saint Piran 329:Picrous Day 71:Hall Monday 1068:Categories 889:Bewnans Ke 803:Folk songs 624:Hevva cake 594:Cloam oven 530:'Obby 'Oss 525:Noze looan 215:References 191:festival. 139:Trigg meat 28:Shrovetide 909:Mythology 879:Ordinalia 720:Alan Kent 520:Nos Lowen 475:Allantide 462:Festivals 205:Candlemas 43:vandalism 977:Spriggan 957:Lyonesse 932:Cormoran 861:Language 470:AberFest 297:See also 185:Polperro 132:—  80:—  51:pea soup 39:Cornwall 947:Knocker 586:Cuisine 495:Guldize 490:Golowan 393:Symbols 379:Cornish 334:Golowan 238:; 2009. 195:Hurling 181:Bonfire 153:winkles 149:mussels 145:limpets 119:St Ives 24:Cornish 972:Piskie 967:Owlman 794:Crowns 554:Sports 189:Imbolc 157:Easter 927:Bucca 784:Dalla 762:Music 634:Pasty 1099:Lent 658:Arts 151:and 117:In 1070:: 381:: 163:. 147:, 99:: 85:, 34:. 1024:) 1020:( 848:" 844:" 841:" 837:" 834:" 830:" 827:" 823:" 820:" 816:" 813:" 809:" 362:e 355:t 348:v

Index

Cornish
Shrovetide
Shrove Monday
Cornwall
vandalism
Nicky nicky nine doors
pea soup
Thomas Quiller Couch
Hall Monday
Shrove Tuesday
Thomas Quiller Couch
Shrove Tuesday
St Ives
limpets
mussels
winkles
Easter
Helford River
Jack o' Lent
Guy Fawkes Night
Bonfire
Polperro
Imbolc
Cornish Hurling
Candlemas
St Columb Major
Notes and Queries
Cornwall portal
Chewidden Thursday
Tom Bawcock's Eve

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