Chewidden Thursday
Encyclopedia
Chewidden Thursday was a festival celebrated by the tin miners of West Cornwall
on the last clear Thursday before (i.e. at least one week before) Christmas
. The festival celebrated the discovery of 'white tin' or smelted tin by St Chiwidden, a little known Cornish saint who in legend was an associate of St Piran.
Robert Hunt
in Popular Romances of the West of England states:
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
on the last clear Thursday before (i.e. at least one week before) Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
. The festival celebrated the discovery of 'white tin' or smelted tin by St Chiwidden, a little known Cornish saint who in legend was an associate of St Piran.
Robert Hunt
Robert Hunt (scientist)
Robert Hunt , a scientist and antiquarian, was born at Devonport, Plymouth, in the United Kingdom. He was involved in statistical, mineralogical and other studies. He died in London on 17 October 1887.-Early life:...
in Popular Romances of the West of England states:
- The last Thursday – a clear week before Christmas Day – was formerly always claimed by the tinners as a holiday, and was called by them White-Thursday (Jew-whidn), because on this day, according to tradition, black tin (tin ore) was first melted and refined into white tin. From Jew-whidn to Chi-widden is an easy transition.