| Where: | Dymchurch-under-the-Wall, Kent - locations around the village including the Martello Tower, the beach and St Peter & St Paul's Church |
| When: | August Bank Holiday weekend (every other year) |
| Time: | From 9am |
Day of Syn has to be one of the best-named fixtures in the calendar and refers, if there are any doubts, to fictional hero Dr Syn, aka the Scarecrow, and his gang. Actor and author Russell Thorndyke wrote seven novels featuring the eponymous smuggling vicar character, and they were set amidst the eighteenth-century community based around Romney Marsh in Kent. The festival takes place over the whole of August Bank Holiday Weekend and has been running as a charity fundraiser for fifty years, though it takes place only in alternate years. The main events are on the Sunday and Monday, and include a costumed parade, re-enactments, a special evensong service at the church, a flower festival and a fete. Expect swashbuckling gallants, dashing soldiers, wenches, pressgangs, morris dancers, mummers and more!
Helpful Hints
It’s held every other year, currently in even numbered years. The next event should be in 2026 from Saturday 29th to Monday 31st August (to be confirmed)- full details will appear in due course on the event website, or check out the Facebook page link below. In the event of extreme weather, the schedule may be adjusted.
Click here for the event website: http://www.dayofsyn.co.uk
and Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/dayofsyn/
Thanks to Ross Parish for drawing this event to my attention! For his first-hand account, click here: http://traditionalcustomsandceremonies.wordpress.com/2014/08/31/custom-contrived-dymchurch-day-of-syn/
Will doctor syn be going ahead this bank holiday, or is it being cancelled due to covid19.
Hi Patsy,
It’s cancelled, sadly. When you’re checking dates on the calendar customs site, scroll down to the Helpful Hints section for the current info -you mustn’t have got that far down the page to: “The next Day of Syn should be Saturday August 29th – Monday 31st 2020 but has been cancelled. It’s being rescheduled into 2021 – full details will appear in due course on the event website”. It’s usually only held every other year, so 2021 would usually be a year off, but they’re hopefully holding it then instead of 2020.Fingers crossed!
Averil
Is this even permanently cancelled now, I just came across it at a interesting piece to put into my blog.
Hi Susan,
Maybe you missed the critical info that Day of Syn is only held every other year? The next one is due August Bank Holiday weekend 2024- follow the link to the event’s own website at https://dayofsyn.co.uk and Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/dayofsyn/ .I think some of the characters appear at some other local events during their year off (one of which looks as though it’s been cancelled in 2023), but the main event won’t be on until next year. Hope that helps!
Best wishes,
Averil