This astronomical event occurs twice a year when the earth's axis is inclined towards or away from the sun. This is considered to be the beginning of summer, and in medieval times, healers would gather herbs and plants considering them to have miraculous healing powers.
Elizabethans believed that this was a time when all sorts of magical things happen and an old tale states that if a maiden sets a table with a white cloth, placed bread, cheese and beer upon it, then the man she was to marry would join her for supper either in person or his ghost.
It appears some were less superstitious - Branwen got stuck in on her own and within a few seconds started to demolish the bread without even waiting to see who turned up to join her!
I think she even drank the beer!
Of course our most famous Elizabethan - William Shakespeare brought the celebration to life with his play 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. Could this be Titania , queen of fairies sat under my maple tree? And are those her little attendants, Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Moth? But where is Mustardseed?
There she is - showing off again.
On a magical day like this - nothing is impossible and sometimes fairy tales come true.
Happy Summer Solstice - enjoy the day.
