East Hendred Shroving

Shrove Tuesday is the date for a little known custom in Oxfordshire when the schoolchildren visit the local manor, Hendred House, where the resident Eyston family await their arrival. The children gather in the courtyard singing a special rhyme before being treated to a gift of a penny and a sticky fruit bun (no pancakes are involved!). Shrovetide and Easter were popular times for charitable donations to the needy, perhaps associated with the period of traditional self-denial and fasting during Lent. The custom has been well established for hundreds of years and with two primary schools and a pre-school in the village it should hopefully continue well into the future -it’s a much loved local tradition and many of the parents and grandparents of today’s youngsters took part when they were children.

Helpful Hints

Though the local schools are involved, this custom takes place even when Shrove Tuesday is in the half-term holiday – when it’s term time the crowd is much larger as the 3 schools all take part. As the custom takes place in private grounds and involves schoolchildren, I’d advise making contact with the schools in advance if you plan to visit.

In 2025 Shrove Tuesday falls on 4th March.

Many thanks to Edward, Ali, Tom and George Eyston for making us welcome in 2018!

For a link to the schools, click here : http://www.hendreds.oxon.sch.uk