Bealtaine (; Irish pronunciation:[ˈbʲal̪ˠt̪ˠəʲnə], approximately B OL-tin-ə) is the Gaelic May Day festival, marking the beginning of summer. It is traditionally held on 1 May, or about midway between the spring equinox and summer solstice. Historically, it was widely observed in Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. In Ireland, the name for the festival in both Irish and English is Bealtaine. In Scottish Gaelic it is called Latha Bealltainn, and in Manx Gaelic Laa Boaltinn/Boaldyn. Beltane is one of the four main Gaelic seasonal festivals—along with Samhain, Imbolc, and Lughnasadh—and is similar to the Welsh Calan Mai.
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Merseyside to the north-west, Greater Manchester to the north-east, Derbyshire to the east, Staffordshire to the south-east, and Shropshire to the south; to the west it is bordered by the Welsh counties of Flintshire and Wrexham, and has a short coastline on the Dee Estuary. Warrington is the largest settlement, and the city of Chester is the county town.
A maypole is a tall wooden pole erected as a part of various European folk festivals, around which a maypole dance often takes place.
Lymm is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Warrington, Cheshire, England. It incorporates the hamlets of Booths Hill, Broomedge, Church Green, Deansgreen, Heatley, Heatley Heath, Little Heatley, Oughtrington, Reddish, Rushgreen and Statham. At the 2021 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 12,660. The village borders Greater Manchester to the east, 1 mile from Salford to the north.
Stockton Heath is a civil parish and suburb of Warrington, in the Borough of Warrington, Cheshire, England. It is located to the north of the Bridgewater Canal and to the south of the Manchester Ship Canal, which divides Stockton Heath from Latchford and north Warrington. It has a total resident population of 6,396.
Burtonwood is a village in the civil parish of Burtonwood and Westbrook, in the Borough of Warrington, Cheshire, England. Within the boundaries of the historic county of Lancashire, the name Burtonwood is known worldwide as the location of the former RAF Station Burtonwood military camp. Burtonwood village itself is a few miles away from the site of the former station. The civil parish also includes Westbrook, which is a council ward and suburb of Warrington. According to the 2001 census, the population of the entire civil parish was 11,265.
Antrobus is a civil parish and village in Cheshire, England, about 7 miles (11 km) south of Warrington. It lies within the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester, and had a population of 832, reducing to 791 at the 2011 Census, and to 767 in the 2021 Census. The parish is the most northeasterly point of Cheshire West and Chester, and as such borders both Warrington and Cheshire East. As well as Antrobus village centre itself, the parish includes other large hamlets at Frandley, about 1 mi (1.6 km) south-west from the main village, and Crowley, about 2 mi (3.2 km) to the north-east.
Stretton is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Warrington, Cheshire, England. The parish includes the village of Lower Stretton. It is at the very southern tip of Warrington, about 4 miles (6.4 km) south of the town centre. It has a large hotel and is the site of Warrington's private hospital, run by Spire Healthcare. The village is near junction 10 of the M56 motorway.
Festive ecology explores the relationships between the symbolism and the ecology of the plants, fungi and animals associated with cultural events such as festivals, processions, and special occasions. Examples of topics are given below.
HM Prison Thorn Cross is a Category D Adult Male Institution for males; it previously was for young men aged 18-25. The prison is located in the village of Appleton Thorn, near Warrington in Cheshire, England. Thorn Cross is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service.
St Mary's Church is the Anglican parish church of Lymm, Warrington, Cheshire, England, standing on a bank overlooking Lymm Dam. It is a grade II listed building. It is an active church in the diocese of Chester, the archdeaconry of Chester and the deanery of Great Budworth.
St Cross Church is in the village of Appleton Thorn, Cheshire, England. The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building. It is an active Anglican parish church in the diocese of Chester, the archdeaconry of Chester and the deanery of Great Budworth. Its benefice is combined with that of St Matthew's Church, Stretton.
St Matthew's Church is in the village of Stretton, Cheshire, England. The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building. It is an active Anglican parish church in the diocese of Chester, the archdeaconry of Chester and the deanery of Great Budworth. Its benefice is combined with that of St Cross, Appleton Thorn.
Royal Naval Air Station Stretton, was an airfield situated in the village of Appleton Thorn, though named for the neighbouring village of Stretton, south of Warrington, in Cheshire, England. Although the main runway remains, the northerly part of the airfield is now HM Prison Thorn Cross, and an industrial estate. In the 1970s, the M56 motorway was built across the former air station.
The Borough of Warrington is a unitary authority area with borough status in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The borough is centred around the town of Warrington, and extends out into outlying villages of Lymm and Great Sankey and the town of Birchwood.
Appleton is a civil parish in the Borough of Warrington, Cheshire, England. It contains 25 buildings that are recorded in the National Heritage List for England as designated listed buildings. The parish is partly residential, including the village of Appleton Thorn, and is otherwise mainly rural. The Bridgewater Canal runs along its northern border, the A49 road is to the west, and the M6 motorway is to the east. Most of the listed buildings are residential, are related to farming, or are associated with the canal and roads in the parish. The exceptions to this are the village church, a war memorial, an obelisk, and a Medieval cross base.
Warrington is an industrial town in the borough of the same name in Cheshire, England. The town sits on the banks of the River Mersey and was historically part of Lancashire. It is 16 miles (26 km) east of Liverpool and 16 miles (26 km) west of Manchester.
England traditionally celebrates a number of Christian and secular festivals. Most are observed throughout the country but some, such as Oak Apple Day, Souling, Rushbearing, Bawming the Thorn, and Hocktide, are local to certain regions.
