Portal:Hampshire/Selected biography/15

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Saint Swithun (or Swithin) (died 2 July 862) was an early English Bishop of Winchester, now best known for the popular British weather lore proverb that if it rains on Saint Swithun's day, 15 July, it will rain for 40 days and 40 nights.

St Swithun's day if thou dost rain

For forty days it will remain

St Swithun's day if thou be fair

For forty days 'twill rain na mair

Swithun was buried out of doors, rather than in his cathedral, apparently at his own request, so that the "sweet rain of heaven" could fall on his grave. In 971 it was decided to move his body to a new indoor shrine, and it is said that the ceremony was delayed by 40 days of torrential rain, a sign of Swithun's displeasure at the move.

A Buckinghamshire variation has

If on St Swithun's day it really pours

You're better off to stay indoors.

Not surprisingly, Swithun is regarded as one of the saints to whom one should pray in the event of drought.