Damask Rose Ceremony

From the collection of

Media Archive for Central England
MACE is the strategic lead organisation for screen heritage for the East and West Midlands regions. An independent charity based at University of Lincoln, MACE preserves and makes accessible a collection of more than 100,000 historic moving images representative of the diverse cultures and histories of communities throughout the heart of England from the Lincolnshire coast to the Welsh border.

Damask Rose Ceremony

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At the Crown and Thistle pub in Leicester the rent has remained a very reasonable four pennies a year for over three hundred years.

In a very British tradition, the landlord of the Crown and Thistle pub on Loseby Lane in Leicester city centre presents the Lord Mayor of the city with a damask rose and four old pennies as a peppercorn rent. It's a tradition that had been going on since 1636, with the rose symbolising the Duchy of Lancaster. But it is good that the annual ceremony was captured on video in 1986; it was eventually discontinued towards the end of the century, around the time the old pub became part of the Irish themed bar chain O'Neills.

In a tradition stretching back to 1636, the landlord of Leicester's Crown and Thistle pub pays the lord mayor a peppercorn rent once a year, consisting of four pennies and a damask rose.


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From the collection

Custom Made: Festivals and Traditions in the Midlands

A tour of the Midlands through its annual customs.
Back in the 6th Century, the Midlands of England were known as The Kingdom of Mercia – ‘Mercia’ being an Old English (or Anglo-Saxon) word for ‘Border Folk’. The long, long history of this region has brought with it a wealth of annual customs and traditions that are enthusiastically anticipated and celebrated by its people. Their origins may be subject to academic debate and general speculation, but they survive year on year – strengthening a community's sense of identity, helping people define who they are. In these films you will see Midlanders in an eclectic variety of settings - gathering together to worship, feast, and dance; play games, race ponies, and stroll through markets. So, whether it’s a Hindu Festival or Sikh celebration, a flower parade or Goose Fair, come, be a tourist and explore the sheer diversity of the border folk of the Midlands.

10 videos in this collection

1

Caribbean Carnival in Leicester

2

Nottingham Goose Fair

3

Leet Medieval Court

4

Damask Rose Ceremony

5

Ashbourne Shrovetide Football

6

Pony and Trap Racing

7

Navaratri Festival in Leicester

8

Lincoln Christmas Market

9

Traditional Village Games

10

Hare Krishna Parade in Handsworth

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