Hærfest - Autumn & Celebration in Anglo Saxon England

You can read more about Anglo-Saxon agriculture in Banham & Faith's 'Anglo Saxon Farms and Farming.'
The Cumbrian text I mentioned was 'A Memorandum of Old Times.'
My dissertation supervisor is Jennifer Jones, some of her research on animal husbandry can be found on Google Scholar: scholar.google...
My dad's etsy: www.etsy.com/u...
My sister's etsy: www.etsy.com/u...

[@EK-ux2mg]

Videos by Simon somehow feel like I’m having an unexpectedly deep conversation with a stranger I just met on a rainy day- every time.

[@PadmeP]

Yes, I wish I bumped into strangers like him to have deep and meaningful conversations with rather than the small talk I'm usually subjected to!

[@laurenvantil3246]

Yes! His video formatting is so nice.

[@ciarfah]

@@PadmeP Just don't do small talk. I've become a master of deflecting that sort of thing haha

[@TheStarBlack]

"It's not a crush...honestly...I just want to have a CONVERSATION with him"

[@samseliger605]

This captures it so brilliantly. I love the balance between intimacy and distance that Simon is able to strike with his manner

[@dracodistortion9447]

finally someone who knows what a good day looks like! dark, cloudy and windy.

[@ingridl8894]

It's Autumn in Norway now, I'm foraging for mushrooms and drying them to use during winter and I'm sitting inside knitting a bunch of warm socks.

[@neilog747]

Good idea Ingrid. I will do some foraging tomorrow.

[@d.2605]

you look like a different version of yourself every week. it's brilliant.

[@IveJustHadAPiss]

He might be part Time Lord. Explains some of the Baldrick vids.

[@cathjj840]

Still a growing boy. Uh, sorry, young man. Not finished till around 25.?

[@asourpo1yphony]

@@IveJustHadAPiss hahahaha the strangest part of this is that IN THE EARLY VIDS he almost looks like a doppelgänger of ______ whom I miss deeply. ALSO he would never have done yt vids but he WAS (is?) deep into linguistics and etymology

[@cjscorah]

When there are people like this on KZbin there is still hope for the world

[@peters.778]

Harvesting wine is called "herbsten" in German. That term developed in parallel to the English "harvesting". I really love to understand my own language more based on your videos. It really shows that Europeans are really somehow connected.

[@feedYOURchildrenKORN]

We are. No more brother wars!

[@EricZaba]

peter schilling

[@irenejohnston6802]

@@feedYOURchildrenKORN hundreds of years of political rangling by kings, autocrats, presidents of every ideology. Why? Power, resources, sovereignty. Stoked by nationalism, the 21st century secular atheist religion. Threatened by laws branding people traitors. Playing on natural love and affection for the land upon which we're born and love for family. Millions of people on the move across parts of the world seeking justice, freedom to express an opinion, clean water; a future and peace. We like to know our forbears, where we come from. Culture and upbringing tends to divide, not genetics. 💌 In my opinion

[@pesnevim1626]

Simon, you are a born communicator. I wish you well.

[@neilog747]

Thanks again. Your videos are like listening to a fireside chat with an old friend.

[@nuclearswan]

This was really interesting, especially when you consider how the general emotional disposition would have been influenced by that way of life, and how it compares to today.

[@laurenvantil3246]

Until last year I lived on a farm near Mennonites (Ontario) and they still typically have a few summer cows that they slaughter in the fall and then share. I love being around cows and just tried not to think about it too much 😑 Living on a farm made the seasons so much more meaningful. We had a lot of deer/ whatever else activity near our crabapple trees around now and it was so nice to catch a glimpse.

[@herrfister1477]

In the UK not a year goes by without some hapless rambling pensioner being trampled to death by rampaging cows. Make no mistake Lauren these lactating bovines have it in for us. We need to strike first and strike hard. And don’t get me started on fucking swans.

[@iamtheiconoclast3]

@@herrfister1477 Okay this seemed a bit insensitive but the last line was just too good so that got you a like anyway. :)

[@iamtheiconoclast3]

Wow, that's really fascinating. I'm from Ontario too and have lived close to Mennonites most of my life, but I never actually knew they did that.

[@laurenvantil3246]

@@herrfister1477 you have a very good point. I have been to Scotland and seen for myself the baseline of Swan Behaviour, which is a brutal regime of terror. They know no other way.

[@laurenvantil3246]

@@iamtheiconoclast3 I find that Mennonites make such great neighbours! And I love hearing the horses pulling their buggies clip clopping by.

[@ilyasantonov212]

These videos help with the bouts of anxiety I've been having lately. Partly the nature intros and partly the way Simon explains the topic

[@TylerClow]

Your voice is so relaxing. I came to watch an interesting video and almost fell asleep from the ASMR effect. 😆

[@cathjj840]

A lot of people on here use his channel as a sleep aid. But then they regret having missed the half of it. Not me. I think I'll just log off with a little Anglo Saxon Simon, and then start reading the comments...Several hours later...

[@helenahandkart1857]

So lovely! The opening scene & sound was so happymaking that I put my phone on the side for a larger screen. Wonderfully rich information (even though it's Spring, here.) I'd love to see & hear more of these seasonal & cultural celebrations. Thanks Simon ! 👍

[@PadmeP]

ditto, more seasonal and cultural celebration info please.

[@michael.bombadil9984]

And a nice Autumn to you, as well, young sir. Another excellent video and thank you for the additional links.

[@DavidMaurand]

I liked the photography of the leaf litter. Here in New England, mid October is clear, bright skies and autumn foliage. By mid November, gray lowering clouds will scud across damp skies, above a world largely drained of color.

[@RedwingInNH]

4" snow this morning in NH. it is upon us.

[@arrangrant6037]

Down here in the New Forest we still have a pannage or Common of the mast as it also called locally each Autumn which as you mentioned is it the practice of releasing livestock (pigs) to eat the fallen acorns, beech nuts and chestnuts.etc. It is a privilege right granted to the commoners of the New Forest

[@arrangrant6037]

Just to add that the practice of the pannage serves two purposes in the New Forest not only does it fatten up the pigs but it also helps to clear the ground of acorns which can be poisonous if eaten in quantity to the ponies and cattle

[@antoninbesse795]

Simon your videos are wonderfully reflective, meditative and instructive all at once, delivered in a reassuring and utterly convincing way. Kudos. And by the way that opening shot really sets the tone for this episode!

[@annahart69]

The danish word "høst" (used to also mean autumn and still does in Sweden) means "harvest". The closest sounds to an "ø" I can think of in the english language, is if you mix the vowel sounds of the words "burn" and "brew"..probably not very relevant to this video, but my mind "rambles through associations" easily!😁😜 Greetings from Denmark🇩🇰 Ps love your work❤️ Oh, and "Hærfest" or "hær-fest" would be "army-party"...rambling again...what can I say, I have ADHD and a touch of the ol' Aspergers😬😀

[@ralphjones6165]

Love your atmospheric and pastoral lead-ins to your stories. Experienced same weather today here in coastal South Carolina.

[@summer2112]

My grandmother always called me an elf child because I was born in September - September birthdays were regarded as special to her something her family had taught her

[@faroukabad]

i'm an elf too then lol

[@thurianwanderer]

Instantly recognizing the lady in your avatar (probably from the promotional shooting for Lionheart). KT was the main force (inspiring association), when I started to learn English and developed an equally great interest in British/Anglo-Saxon history ^^

[@summer2112]

@@thurianwanderer if you look closely it’s not Kate it’s a painting of myself in lion heart style ! I’m a huge fan always glad to meet another

[@helenahandkart1857]

Hopefully you are quite 'elfy then!

[@thurianwanderer]

@@summer2112 Ah, that's why I couldn't decide, it's different to the picture in the booklet, yet, just thought, maybe another variant found online ^^ - Nevertheless, I love her music. Although, there are so many great musicians, her music has an effect no one else can give me. When I discovered the album Hounds of Love in 2003, my taste in music changed immediately. Still to this day, I can't listen to her without being pulled into the dreamy depths of unknown emotions.

[@richpurslow3283]

Love your videos and this time period. Your videos always contain lots of information but also make you think about it all alot too. Thank you for your work.

[@LRamiroC]

It is always great to listen to you, greetings from Argentina.

[@glo_878]

Otro latino! Watching from Costa Rica, greetings

[@Schwarzorn]

The Harvest/Fall/Autumn scenery was nice. This was a fun and relaxing video.

[@trevormegson7583]

Thank you Simon for your measured and meditative information. I like that you reference things for us too.

[@ohlamaria697]

I adore you Simon Roper. Thank you for the content

[@NormanBatesIsMyMum]

Looks like you have a fan Simon

[@TheStarBlack]

Lol

[@Colin454]

You probably know this already but... Letting the pigs go into the woods to root for nuts and so on ('pannage') was a right granted to the local people by the land owner - one reason for this was that it was good for the woods as well as the pigs. Whilst pigs root, they turn the soil and break it up - improving the plant growth. My Robinson ancestors lived in the Cotswolds near the Wychwood - they were given the privileges of "lopping, topping and pannage".

[@davestockbridgeAWE]

Truly my favourite KZbinr.Keep up the great work Simon

[@Lindscaldwell1]

love learning about the history of seasons and seasonal celebrations. thanks so much

[@colemanstarr5404]

Thank you, and a pleasant autumn to you.

[@jasonhacker7270]

I live in southeast Kentucky and used to talk to my grand parents often abot when they were young 1910s thru 30s b4 the chestnut blight hit. They said hogs were turned loose in fall and stayed fat on the huge chestnut mast all winter. They would take mule sleds of chestnuts to feed other live stock and themselves.

[@laurenvantil3246]

I visited a historic farm in the Smoky Mountains and the subsistence farming people did in Appalachia was constant toil. Pretty amazing!

[@PerksJ]

I too am Appalachian and I find our ways are so similar to these old ways too

[@irenejohnston6802]

The old ways to till the land and harvest, store crops and fodder are universal. Varies only according to water resources, climate. Cultural traditions. Can't grow non native exotic fruit, plants without lots of sun. 53°n. Lighting up time 3.55pm 21st December. Liverpool. UK 💌

[@iainb1577]

The main autumnal miseries comes from the increasingly damp air. The moisture, even at moderate temperatures makes every thing feel colder.

[@ofconsciousness]

I love love LOVE your channel!! Thank you for these videos.

[@MikeS29]

I've loved every one of your videos that I've watched.

[@thelstanegn5348]

Thanks Simon!

[@williamivanhoe8264]

Nice topics! (g)Haerfest is the fest of ghaer (gathering). Ghae(d)er is the Flemish/Dutch stem word for "to gather". See "vergaren" and "vergaderen". To bring "together", which in its turn comes from Flemish/Dutch "te-gader".

[@jaegerguy]

I have seen two of your videos and I’m hooked. Chicago, IL, USA 🇺🇸

[@cathjj840]

Join the club :)

[@cecilyerker]

The part where you talk about celebrations migrating and adapting to the cultural climate reminds me of a Spanish guitarist who said that not many people know that parts of Spain celebrated Samhain even though it’s an autumn holiday originating in Ireland and Britain.

[@myrddinemrys1332]

Well the Galicians have Celtic roots and there were a fair amount of Irish immigrants to the continent so it isn't too surprising that Spain would have areas that celebrated a similar festival to Samhain or Samhain itself.

[@yes_head]

@@myrddinemrys1332 Plus you'd expect some consistency across all European cultures during the Anglo-Saxon period in Britain anyways, being the transition from pre-Christian to the early Christian era where a lot of the pagan traditions were still around. And as Simon says, agrarian cultures -- no matter where they were -- were all affected by the same seasonal dynamics.

[@leod-sigefast]

@@myrddinemrys1332 I think the Galicians overstate their Celtic 'heritage'. The Celts, or at least the Celtic culture, was widespread across most of Europe during the Iron age, and beyond. Having lived in Spain a good few years, I got a bit tired of hearing all this regionalism. A lot of the folklore there is very much invented. Some Galicians even think Scotland or Ireland invaded them (they didn't)! Having met Galicians in Spain, I would say them looked no different than any other Spaniard, certainly nothing like a Brit or Irish. Furthermore there is no vestige of a Celtic language there, unlike Brittany, not Brethonic Celtic place name links, again, unlike Brittany - most of their so-called ancient customs are just modern adoptions of perceived 'celtic-ness', such as, bagpipes, Halloween, celtic music - all studs that is considered trendy. A lot of their folklore and culture struck me as being like 'cultural appropriation'. I can only assume to it is the silly regionalism that exists in Spain and a desire to approbate one's own different culture - very much like the excesses of the Catalans and Basques.

[@myrddinemrys1332]

@@leod-sigefast While I don't think a migration post-Rome ever went to Galicia to the level that happened with the early Cornish and Brittany, I think Galicia did have some migrants to a place where the Celtic culture had survived as much as it could under Rome. There also was a fair amount of Irish migration during the British control of Ireland to the continent, to France and Spain in particular I think but yes Galicia's Celtic heritage is near entirely reconstructed from what I remember.

[@faithlesshound5621]

@@leod-sigefast It can be difficult to separate genuine survivals from antiquity from later revivals or even reconstructions. The Abbots Bromley Horn Dance seems to be genuine, as one of the horns is nearly 1000 years old, but the Druid Rites at the Eisteddfod and Stonehenge are 18th or 19th century inventions, like the flummery associated with Black Rod. And no-one can tell how genuine clan tartans are, or where Morris Dancing came from.

[@cadileigh9948]

No Knitting before 14/1500s Narlbinding though. Using a bowl of water to reflect a rush light one can work quite well spinning can be done by touch and both sexes span yarn. I recall reading years ago that the US forces stationed in Gloucestershire during WW2 picked up Trick or Treat and took it home. A little late but Calan Gaeaf Hapus, happy start to winter to you. We call both Autumn and October Hydref yn Gymraig

[@felixsafire]

Very evocative observations at the end there, I quite liked that!

[@herrfister1477]

I’m 49. When I was a kid in rural North Yorkshire trick or treat was an American thing. Our version of door to door begging was making a guy ( falkes) a knocking door to door asking “penny fut guy”. More often we’d get nothing except enough to buy some chips to share.

[@EllFell0_0]

North Yorkshire is good

[@erikdalna211]

No Miggy Night?

[@faithlesshound5621]

I'm a bit older. In Scotland, the run up to Hallowe'en (31/10) merged with that for Guy Fawkes' Night (5/11). Halloween meant turnip lanterns, special cakes like gingerbread or parkin, roasting nuts and "dooking" (bobbing) with our teeth for apples floating in a basin of water. "Trick or treat" was in all the American comics, but none of us dared to try that. "Guising" had merged into dressing up and asking on the street for "A penny for the Guy:" not many did that.

[@zeddeka]

There's nothing American about it. I'm a similar age and In North east England Halloween was always a big thing - we did "trick or treat" although it wasn't necessarily called that. My grandparents also told me about how they celebrated Halloween like that back in the 1920s and 30s. It seems that the further south you travel in England the less Halloween was celebrated. That most certainly doesn't make it American though.

[@herrfister1477]

@@zeddeka In what way did you do trick or treat? And what did you call it?

[@felshout]

There may be a Germanic / Anglo Saxon tradition to light a beacon on the autumn solstice (a wheel on a pool with burning straw ) The place looks like a large, but lower and flat grave mound. In Dutch the place is called a bikberg. Look for places called beacon hill or mound?

[@kawaiilotus]

Could you potentially do one about winter festivals/customs aswell please? Maybe even a separate video for each season aswel, to round out the bunch to four? Thanks for a fascinating video!

[@philroberts7238]

I was pleased that you mentioned Bonfire Night in passing Simon. I've always felt that a lot of the folk-inspired Christian (and pre-Christian) festivities that had centred around Halloween and All Saints Day in England shifted along a few days to the Fifth of November (which we were exhorted to "Remember, Remember" as "The Gunpowder Treason and Plot") after 1605. So that celebrations that were once Pagan and then Christian, then morphed yet again into something with political, or at least sectarian, overtones. Certainly, in my childhood in the 50s Guy Fawkes night was the big thing - and more or less community based at that. Halloween was rarely, if ever, on the radar. I suspect it has become less significant in recent years partly through a recognition of its fundamentally anti-Catholic basis (not that most people were aware of that, except in those few places where they actually burnt an effigy of the Pope!), but more because of the transatlantic and commercialised influence of Halloween taking over and, even more, because of "Elfin Safety" issues. In my day, any primary school kid could go into the local newsagents and buy as many fireworks as they wanted, or could afford - hence the "Penny for the Guy" tradition, which would not have been tolerated by the grown-up world if it had already been subjected to Trick or Treating. I suspect that if Guido Fawkes and the other plotters had been arrested at some other time of year, then the event would have been celebrated, if at all, in some other way, without the bonfires, the effifigies, the gingerbread and all the rest of it. ( I'd also add that the specifically religious celebrations at that time of year were confined to All Saints Day in ordinary church services and to annual Harvest Festivals, which were indeed community events, but were celebrated if I recall correctly earlier in October.) I have looked, in a desultory way, for confirmation of this theory but without a lot of success, because I've yet to find out how people in England did celebrate All Hallows Eve in, say, the Tudor period.

[@PadmeP]

I heard (sorry I can't remember the sources) that All Saints Day in the Catholic Church was originally another time of year and they moved it to 1st November possibly to integrate with native customs (Samhain). In Somerset there is still the Harvest Home tradition where communities gather to celebrate the harvest (in a less religious way than the Church's Harvest festival). Thinking that school began in September (I know much later but the need for extra hands to bring the harvest in prior to September), and perhaps before "schooling" extra workers may have been itinerant or have used autumn as a time to travel/trade, it would make sense for the community celebration to be when the community was all together. Regarding Guy Fawkes, I agree that there is a human need around this time for a fire festival! Samhain is opposite of Beltane, the other big fire festival, and walking your livestock between two fires - perhaps in to a barn for winter shelter/feeding - was a way of blessing, protecting and possibly ridding them of ticks and fleas! Punkie Night is still celebrated where I live in Somerset and I'm sure there are other regional variations which might stretch back to Tudor times. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punkie_Night I can think of the Tar Barrels www.tarbarrels.co.uk/history/

[@philroberts7238]

@@PadmeP Thanks for that - interesting stuff! (I had also wondered, but did not mention, whether the Penny for the Guy tradition had indeed derived from an earlier Trick or Treat custom that had existed on this side of the Atlantic before going over there and then coming back in an altered format some centuries later.) And I'd say it's more than likely in the very early church that All Saints was placed where it is in the calendar so as to absorb Samhain and all the other pagan traditions in Europe that were related to the change of season. If the Church hierarchy didn't include those customs directly, then the People would have done it for them anyway, and probably did.. As you say, everyone loves a good bonfire! :)

[@philroberts7238]

@@PadmeP kzbin.info/www/bejne/d6K4ZHVql812a7s This is an entertaining Canadian site that delves (at great length!) into Indo-European etymology. This particular episode touches on a lot of what we (and Simon, of course) have been discussing.

[@Riskman99]

@@philroberts7238 There is also Mischief Night, on both sides of the Atlantic, but seems to come from England and which is typically the night before Halloween. Still big in Yorkshire.

[@philroberts7238]

@@Riskman99 Is that related to Walpurgisnacht, do you know, or have I got that all wrong? (I'll just pop off to Wikipedia...)

[@meorgegoran]

I'd really love to see your take on Winter and Summer in the Anglo-Saxon period.

[@marieboutin9054]

very interesting. Your channel is amazing, so instructive. thanks

[@richardsleep2045]

Yes Samain to Celts. I think I read speculation that Silbury Hill may have at it's heart a kind of Harvest mound. But I'm probably imagining it.. thanks anyway Simon, fascinating and informative as always.

[@myrddinemrys1332]

Only Samhain to Gaelic Celts, it goes by different names in different communities. To the Welsh it is Calan Gaeaf.

[@yes_head]

I've been reading about Glastonbury Tor lately, and Samhain was apparently a key festival in that region well into the early Christian era.

[@myrddinemrys1332]

@@yes_head Not Samhain but indeed a similar Brythonic ritual would have been.

[@erikdalna211]

Samhain is the Gaelic name for this month still.

[@billysmith3841]

Really enjoying these videos. I shared a couple in a Facebook prehistory group I support and a member knows you from Butser. Vivian. She said she was teaching how to make the shingles

[@tonywalker5681]

Simon, very good, as per usual.

[@nielfarias]

Love this videos, started watching the Baldric skits, but holy shit this type of videos are WAY more entertaining

[@robbicu]

It would be fun to have a one on one to talk about linguistics and history, traditions, and beer.

[@viktorkukuruzovic5332]

A major reason for the slaughter being done in autumn is that it is the beginning of the cold part of the year, cold enough that you need not worry about the meat that you started to brine going rotten. The climate being different at that time, they may have even smoked and dried it, i actually have no idea if winters were dry enough then, but hey why not put it out there, maybe someone corrects me or just has something to say about early medieval times climate in Britain. Anyway, whatever your method of preserving meats, it takes time, you don't just throw it into brine and have it safe from bacteria and whatever would harm it, it needs to soak up all that salt and have it spread throughout before it gets to the point where it can stand summer temperatures and not spoil. As there was no refrigeration, they had to do it during later autumn and then they'd eat the preserved meat througout the year. if you slaughter a pig when it's warm, you better eat it immediately, and that is why regular people back then generally were not doing it, unless in case they needed to throw some celebration and even then they might be more inclined to go for younger and smaller pigs.

[@cathjj840]

Around the time the Romans left Britain, the climate had taken a turn for the worse (which meant the produce it exported was less interesting and less abundant). I believe that's what Simon said in the video, too - colder and wetter, with a typical temperature range of 30°C to -20°C. I found what you wrote about meat conservation etc. quite informative.

[@hakneyj]

Glad you said 'turnip'. Swedes in the north are those tiny white things. My dad got the job of carving the turnip every year; it must have been incredibly hard work.

[@simonroper9218]

My dad always insisted on 'turnip'! I tried to carve one once and gave up almost immediately. I wonder how many people in history have cut their hands doing it.

[@calumm8639]

When I was a bairn in Edinburgh in the 1970s, we always had turnip lanterns. The trick was to slice the top off then dig the insides out with a spoon. It did take a while. Raw turnip is surprisingly nice to eat in small amounts. It stinks a bit when the candle inevitably burns it though.

[@TenositSergeich]

A thing I feel is valuable to note - linguistic and cultural perception of months can change, especially if it is something tied to natural world. The traditional Slavic month names, all named after aspects of nature of one or other kind, can shift up 1 month forward or backwards depending on language (and *studènъ, "chiller", is usually December but in some cases is November or January; there is more terms than months so languages don't all have the same ones). I expect that harvest rituals with same roots will happen later in England than in Scandinavia, and lent rituals will happen earlier than in England than in Scandinavia.

[@rachel_Cochran]

Favorite part of this entire video = Jackson Crawford reference 😆💜

[@johngavin1175]

Must be nice to have a real Autumn. Here in Florida,we just have a less severe Summer. A cold front came through on Friday. Whoopdee Doo. Good vid,man.

[@pansepot1490]

I admit I love to live in a place with proper seasons. The change of scenery makes life less boring. I couldn’t bear 12 months of summer.

[@ikbintom]

I wonder if saint Martin's day also comes from Samhain.. my (Dutch) mom used to hollow out sugar beets and go from door to door as a child

[@hugovangalen]

I have always suspected all these celibrations around November come from some tradition that has been lost / assimilated through history, and now different cultures have its own derivative. Eventually from the celibration of the harvest period when there was great community spirit, and everybody can treat others to some of the fruits of their labour.

[@robleahy5759]

In Roscommon, Ireland fam people used to shake the blood from a chicken's slit throat over the threshold of the house on St. Martin's day until as recently as two generations ago.

[@hugovangalen]

@@robleahy5759 That is... as interesting as it is disturbing. I suppose this was done to ward off evil spirits?

[@robleahy5759]

@@hugovangalen The layers of superstition in the west province of Ireland, Connaught are so dense that it makes me think Anthropologists flee to far away lands because the nearby questions are too-difficult. I'm on side of civilisation which is against bloody cruelty, but I luckily didn't grow up in harsher times.

[@faithlesshound5621]

@@robleahy5759 Stuff like that may be difficult for an Irish or a British anthropologist to study with an open mind because they usually come from a specific culture within those countries. We need more scholars from further afield, like Tibet or Japan, working in European anthropology.

[@flannerypedley840]

Seriously enjoyed this session. The way you evoked the change the lack of light and so on was great. Living in the subtropics, I often don't get the associations people more naturally make in old writing, cultural references and the lie.

[@simonroper9218]

Thank you! It can be really difficult to imagine even the basic environment of a place you live so far from.

[@mellonlord4616]

So I'm writing a series of books and it's sort of time travely, faerie tree, and one place we end up is anglo saxon england. Books on this period are SO EXPENSIVE. I bought one but if you could point me to research that would be helpful I'd deeply appreciate it. Or how to find the research myself. Not so much the language, we do a bit of magic to solve that, but more the time period and daily life.

[@joyousmonkey6085]

Just out of interest, which book have you bought? Two I've found particularly helpful in this regard are: The Origins of the Anglo-Saxons by Donald Henson The Anglo-Saxon Landscape, The Kingdom of the Hwicce by Della Hooke These contain information on social structure and the physical landscape which would throw some light on life at the time. Other than that, one might try reading archaeological site reports for the physical remains and artifacts, but the Anglo-Saxons were either stingy in this regard, or made a conscious effort to leave their stuff in dodgy soils or under modern towns and cities, the inconsiderate gits! Life In Anglo-Saxon England by R.I. Page is going for £3.00 on Amazon UK - probably dated, but might still be handy.

[@Haru23a]

I am writing a novel called "Jas of the Huns" what's in Anglo Saxon England. There's tons of stuff online. Mostly u can just make stuff up cos readers just want a good story with a message. So in *Jas of the Huns* Anglo-Saxons are mostly like Nazis and Roman-Celt peoples are like multikutural society just trying to defend itself.

[@mrgodliak]

@@Haru23a O.O

[@TheStarBlack]

@@Haru23a um I think you've got that completely the wrong way round. I know youre not going for historical accuracy but...

[@Haru23a]

@@TheStarBlack No, I didnt. UK in 4th century was multikultural and was full diversity. Jas of the Huns helps the Celtic villages and Roman government defend peace and justice against the racists cos she stands for freedom and dignity 4 everyone. 🦄☦

[@salernolake]

Hi Simon. Love your videos. One factor you should consider when talking about months, is when the start of the calendar year was in the time period under consideration. In the UK the beginning of the legal new year was moved from March 25 to January 1 in 1752. Prior to that, September would have been the 7th month, October the 8th, and November the 9th, etc. Even the names of these months reflect that - "Sept", "Oct", "Nov", "Dec" (seven, eight, nine, ten). BTW if you want to get a good feel of English rural life in the 17th century, check out the BBC documentary series "Tales from the Green Valley". Although there is a long time gap between the 17th century and Anglo-Saxon times, I suspect that much of rural life remained relatively static for many centuries. Rural life in the 17th century was probably closer to Anglo-Saxon times than ours.

[@bigaspidistra]

Christmas Day was a also sometimes considered as the start of a year pre Norman Conquest.

[@yes_head]

Happy Samhain one and all! Now go light a turnip. :-D

[@sirmount2636]

My friend told me that the Saxons called November “Bloodmonth” because that’s when most of their sacrifices happened before Winter.

[@leod-sigefast]

True. They had very descriptive month names related to agriculture or seasonal chores. I think April was called something like: threemilk-month (all one word in OE) as it was when dairy cows had their first flush of milk...I think. I am not a farmer! But that is what I vaguely remember. August was also called Weedmonth. As anyone who has a summer garden in England can attest, that is a very fitting name!

[@mrsmucha]

Very informative video, Simon!

[@crystalalexander6634]

I love autumn 🍂🐿💛🌧🔥💨

[@francesgardner7070]

Love the witchy vibes

[@feelingkevinly]

Hey Simon! Something I was wondering as I watched this video: how does your knowledge of history and language impact the way you live in today's world. Just curious! Thanks for the video and happy autumn!

[@molderman7673]

Congrats on 80k

[@d.2605]

indeed

[@jensl5956]

Get this man to 100k!

[@friedensgabel]

When I'm reading or hearing some of these cognates for the first time, I sometimes ask myself why I've been that dense all my english-speaking life. Herbst harvest. Hngh.

[@breakaleg10]

As a Swedish speaker I am baffled by the word autumn, which is Etruscan in origin I believe. Our own word is Höst which means the same as harvest. What would it take for you in England to go back to harvest, by the way?

[@appleslover]

Germanic countries (or Germanic speaking ones) should form a linguistic union

[@Sindraug25]

@Carl Hult We say fall in the US. Not as good as harvest, maybe, but at least it's a native English word. I would definitely go for harvest over autumn.

[@Sindraug25]

@@deofolwitga2077 That's really only if you count all the words in the dictionary no one ever uses. In everyday speech, there are still lots of French words, but they are still mostly English. If you count all the words in this whole thread (leaving out proper nouns), from Carl's post to this one, only 29 words are from French.

[@Sindraug25]

@@deofolwitga2077 What I'm arguing is that most words in everyday speech come from Old English. More like four in five rather than one in five. You only see the big percentages of French when you're talking about all the words in the dictionary.

[@stormstaunch6692]

@@Sindraug25 yea you’re right. You’ll also often see great amounts of french words in academic contexts.

[@divarachelenvy]

Absolutely fascinating as usual Simon, thank you... Autumn sure is lacklustre here in Brisbane Australia and also back to front of yours too lol..

[@geoffcliff2066]

Brisbane is lacklustre!!!

[@divarachelenvy]

@@geoffcliff2066 haha

[@TheMichaelK]

"The Anglo-Saxon word for autumn was ..." Still so in modern (Low) Saxon :)

[@aryyancarman705]

😭English changed the meaning

[@FreeManFreeThought]

Herfst in modern dutch too.

[@judisutherland6750]

Thanks, Simon and oíche Shamhna bheannaigh from a misplaced Viking in the land of the Celts.

[@thephilosopherofculture4559]

Wonderful start of the video. You could have ended with it as well. This element of connecting with nature in a metaphysical way, is something nobody does and makes your videos very attractive.

[@elwolf8536]

Yep that weather sums up the north of England right now 😂

[@ZoroarkChampion]

I would be very interested in such a more reflective video on differences in the experience of autumn!

[@dubfox1691]

Hi Simon, I hope this is the right place to ask this question. I'm reading the Gesta Herewardi (again), and it occurs to me that the English frequently communicate with the french and vice versa- what language were they speaking? When Hereward and his mates confound an ambush laid by de Warrenne, and de Warrenne's man asks them if they are forces of Hereward, and would they like to defect, what language is he speaking? Of course Hereward understands french (old Norman?) because he's a well-traveled mercenary. But what about the knights and archers he has with him? Is the Norman speaking a sort of pidgin? What do you reckon is going on there, then?

[@brianclingenpeel5123]

Another lovely day in England I see

[@leod-sigefast]

3 big swirling Atlantic depressions have rolled in over the past few days. So classic British and Irish autumn weather: grey skies, heavy rain and very windy. I think one of the Hurricanes from North America has feed into our jet stream, giving us a lot of rain.

[@technoshaman001]

What do you think about Terence McKenna's stoned ape theory?

[@erikdalna211]

An Old Gaelic Poem - News for you Hear stags bell Winter snows Summer’s gone Wind, strong, cold Sun is low Short his course Heavy sea Fern rust-red Lost its shape Wild-goose cries Usual cry Cold takes hold Of birds’ wings Time of ice That’s my news Every autumn it comes to my mind.

[@simonroper9218]

That's a lovely poem and translates very well :) Thank you for sharing!

[@rykloog9578]

I love Harvest, but Winter is where its at for me--Christmas and Thanksgiving are the best holidays to me

[@rampantmutt9119]

It's such a shame most of the native month names in most European countries were replaced by the Latin/Romance month names.

[@MilylovesGod]

Holy month is most probably the month Jesus was born (he is our first fruits in Sukkot, hebrew celebration of harvest in September) . I'll keep bombing your comments section 'cause this Christian ontology is awesome. No coincidences. Great info as always.

[@keithklassen5320]

So a note on driving pigs into forests. You mentioned that one wouldn't have to engineer forests in order to have plentiful food for pigs, and I agree. Isn't it true, tho, that there were abundant engineered forests in ancient England, leading up to the Industrial Revolution? Or does that practice only became common after the time period you're discussing? A bit of a tangent, but I've long been interested in the English Commons systems, of coppiced and pollarded forests.

[@tioy3442]

-20? In England? I wouldn’t think I’d get _that_ cold with the Gulf Stream keeping you guys warm!

[@maxdecimus13]

It's never been that in my lifetime. We had one extreme winter that got to about - 14

[@tioy3442]

@@maxdecimus13 Yeah I assume it never gets that cold now, just the warm gulf would’ve kept Beowulf at least above -10

[@maxdecimus13]

@@tioy3442 I found the bit about it being rainier somewhat hard to take!

[@aquilatempestate9527]

About AD 400, there was a shift to wetter, colder weather in Britain, a deterioration that intensified after AD 450.

[@helenahandkart1857]

@@maxdecimus13 When it is really cold, it is often dryer.

[@stephaniewilson3955]

Minor quibble. Knitting did not exist in Anglo Saxon times. The nearest equivalent is nalbinding which continues to be practiced worldwide.

[@fleet_fox]

The new video game Assassin's Creed Valhalla is set in Anglo Saxon England. When you speak directly to Anglo Saxon NPCs they speak modern English, but if you're walking through a village and hear them talking in the background they are speaking something else, which I assume must be Old English! I'm dying to know if this is the case, and whether or not the voice actors are doing a good job of pronunciation.

[@jamiewulfyr4607]

Slightly colder and slightly wetter than now. Damn. That's slightly cold and slightly wet, alright...

[@jo8422]

Love this content sm

[@Alxoholiker]

Hærfest? german Herbst? i love how similar that is

[@hennobrandsma4755]

Common Germanic

[@bigscarysteve]

Is the hurricane affecting you weather over there in England already?

[@haroldhadradi8763]

Yeah, we had heavy rain and strong gusts of wind on Wednesday. But its not constant, there's periods of that fine spray rain in between. Yesterday and today have been gray skies and showers, but I think we've got some more heavy rain tonight.

[@bigaspidistra]

Remnants of Zeta this weekend.

[@MarionMakarewicz]

Never thought of harvest being some type of fest. In my mind it is the work of gathering in and not the celebration and ritual that attends it. But of course. You help me see things and experience things that I have overlooked. Thanks. Makes me think of my favorite Rilke poem. Herbsttag. I'll dig out my translation of it and post it for you. Also, if you are collecting more questions for a Q & A, would you please help me understand the pronunciation of "r" by someone like this? Again, I just keep thinking it is a speech impediment but the more KZbin videos from the UK I watch, the more I realize that this is just normal. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jnSonIKlat6JgZo

[@TheGDJames]

I'd've thought that there would be beer making in the Autumn, followed by, ermm, beer drinking.

[@MmalpMm]

Haerfest is Herfst in Dutch, is it connected to harvest?

[@ulisirius9027]

Would be interessting to make a writing reform like in swedish, german and on spanish. Latin spelling would be central, all others would be written in new letters. The i in wide would be ei. The first a in stargate would be a the second a would be äi. "I" would be EI. And so on....

[@simonroper9218]

Many people throughout history have tried to introduce spelling reform, and it's actually a good source of evidence on pronunciation in the past, because they occasionally give detailed descriptions of their own pronunciation to justify their decisions! It's a really interesting rabbit hole to go down. And wouldn't it be more in keeping with Latin pronunciation to have in 'wide' and in gate?

[@ajp8025]

will you do a piece on gēol?

[@villeporttila5161]

Minus 20 in winter? is that definitely right?

[@Vingul]

«Hærfest» in modern Norwegian means «army-party»..

[@theuniversalstegosaurus7911]

What was pog in old english

[@KamikazethecatII]

pōg

[@thorndust5329]

It would have to be a short vowel

[@hennobrandsma4755]

West Frisian “hjerst “ < “*ha:r(f)-est” (with comp. length. + breaking)

[@hugovangalen]

In the West-Frisian *dialect*, as spoken in North Holland (the dialect is confusingly also called "West Frisian" but in many ways is nothing like the West Frisian language) -- the word is "herrest".

[@ikbintom]

Hmmm for a second I thought it was har-feast, but you're right that it's harv-est.. I wonder, is it a superlative of some sort? Since the root is PIE *kerp- 'to pluck/harvest', making harvest the "pluck(y)est"/"harvest(y)est" time of the year??

[@ernstdevries8265]

Dutch: herfst

[@hennobrandsma4755]

@@hugovangalen I did not look up that dialect (which has a Frisian substrate) in my dictionary. The f-loss seems the oldest.

[@hugovangalen]

@@hennobrandsma4755 I find the f loss terribly intriguing.

[@AgathaVelvet]

When did trick or treating start in the UK?

[@AgathaVelvet]

Dressing up, ect

[@haroldhadradi8763]

Roughly around 1975-1980 I think. If I find out that it's earlier, I'll let you know.

[@PadmeP]

I had read that driving your animals between two bonfires (possibly into winter shelter) was thought to deter fleas and ticks. If your animals were living in the same building as you, you'd probably want to rid them of parasites before they moved in!

[@erikdalna211]

It depends on where you are from. My father did it in the 30s - in Scots called guising - I suspect that is the origin of the American tradition. Scots also carved jack o lanterns from turnips. This was mentioned in the video. The English have the annoying habit of assuming that their culture is “British” culture.

[@dustincooley]

❤️❤️❤️