Flitch Day
July 19
About Flitch Day
Flitch Day celebrates one of England’s most charming and unusual marriage customs: the awarding of a flitch, or side, of bacon to couples who can prove they have not regretted a single day of their marriage for a year and a day. The day is observed on 19 July and draws on a tradition rooted in the Essex town of Great Dunmow. In 2026 it falls on Sunday, 19 July.
The Story Behind Flitch Day
The Dunmow Flitch tradition is remarkably old, with its roots reaching back at least to the medieval period. According to local legend, the custom began around 1104, when Reginald Fitzwalter and his wife disguised themselves as humble commoners and approached the prior of Little Dunmow Priory to ask for his blessing a year after their wedding. So moved was the prior by the couple’s evident devotion that he rewarded them with a flitch of bacon. Fitzwalter, the story goes, then revealed his true identity and granted the priory land on condition that the gift be offered to any couple who could match their happiness.
Whether or not the tale is strictly true, the custom was certainly well established by the fourteenth century. It was famous enough to be mentioned by Geoffrey Chaucer in The Canterbury Tales and to appear in the medieval poem Piers Plowman, proof that the idea of bacon as a prize for marital harmony had captured the popular imagination across the country. To claim the flitch, a couple had to kneel on sharp stones and swear an oath that they had lived in harmony and would not have changed their marriage, even if they could, for a year and a day.
The tradition faded after 1751 and lay dormant for a century. Its revival came in 1855, a year after the novelist William Harrison Ainsworth published The Flitch of Bacon. Ainsworth himself presided over the renewed ceremony in Great Dunmow and presented one of the flitches. From that point the custom was reborn as a public spectacle, and it has continued in the town ever since.
When and Where is Flitch Day Celebrated?
Flitch Day is marked on 19 July, and in 2026 that falls on a Sunday. The day honours the Dunmow Flitch Trials, which are held in Great Dunmow, Essex. The trials themselves do not take place every year. In their modern form they are staged once every leap year, with the next trials expected in 2028. Flitch Day on 19 July serves as an annual reminder of the tradition between trial years, allowing anyone to celebrate the custom wherever they are.
Traditions and Customs
The modern Dunmow Flitch Trials preserve the spirit of the medieval custom while turning it into a piece of lively community theatre:
- The mock trial – Couples make their case before a judge and a jury of six maidens and six bachelors, with counsel arguing both for the couple and “for the bacon”.
- The oath – Successful couples kneel and swear the traditional oath promising they have not quarrelled or wished themselves unwed for a year and a day.
- The chair procession – Winners are carried aloft in an ancient flitch chair by bearers in period costume from the trial venue to the old town hall.
- Period dress – Officials and bearers wear traditional outfits, lending the proceedings a sense of historical pageantry.
- The presentation of the flitch – The crowning moment sees the victorious couple presented with their hard-won side of bacon.
Ways to Celebrate Flitch Day
You do not need to attend the trials to enjoy Flitch Day at home:
- Cook a bacon feast – Mark the day with a hearty bacon breakfast or a bacon-themed dish in honour of the famous prize.
- Read about the tradition – Explore the history of the Dunmow Flitch in Chaucer, Piers Plowman or Ainsworth’s novel.
- Toast a happy marriage – Use the occasion to celebrate a long and harmonious partnership among family or friends.
- Plan a visit to Great Dunmow – If a trial year is approaching, consider attending the next Dunmow Flitch Trials in 2028.
- Stage your own mock trial – Have a little fun by putting a couple you know “on trial” to see if they would win the bacon.
- Share the curious history – Spread the word about this centuries-old custom online and introduce others to it.
If you enjoy quirky food customs, you might also like National Bakewell Tart Day, another celebration with deep English roots.
Facts and Figures
- The tradition is said to date to around 1104 at Little Dunmow Priory, making it one of the oldest marriage customs in England.
- Geoffrey Chaucer referenced the Dunmow flitch in The Canterbury Tales, written in the late fourteenth century.
- The custom died out after 1751 and was revived in 1855 following the publication of William Harrison Ainsworth’s novel The Flitch of Bacon.
- Modern Dunmow Flitch Trials are held once every leap year in Great Dunmow, Essex.
- To win, couples must swear they have not regretted their marriage for a year and a day before a jury of six maidens and six bachelors.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Flitch Day?
Flitch Day celebrates the centuries-old Dunmow Flitch tradition, in which couples who can prove a year and a day of harmonious marriage are awarded a flitch of bacon. It honours a custom from Great Dunmow in Essex dating back to medieval times.
When is Flitch Day in 2026?
Flitch Day is observed on 19 July, which falls on a Sunday in 2026.
How often are the Dunmow Flitch Trials held?
In their modern form, the Dunmow Flitch Trials take place once every leap year in Great Dunmow, Essex. The next trials are expected in 2028.
Spread the Word
Share Flitch Day with your community using #FlitchDay and #FlitchDay2026. Whether you mark the occasion with a bacon breakfast or a toast to a happy marriage, every bit of awareness helps keep this delightful tradition alive.
Related Awareness Days
- National Bakewell Tart Day – Another quintessentially English food tradition with a long heritage.
- National Food Truck Day – A celebration of food culture and community gathering.
- National Day of Joy – A day devoted to happiness, much like the marital harmony at the heart of Flitch Day.
Links
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