Scottish term days
Encyclopedia
Scottish term days were holy days for the people of the Kingdom of Scotland
in the Middle Ages
. Like the Kingdom of England
's quarter days
, they were the four days dividing the legal year, when rent and interest on loans, and minister
s' stipend
s were due, and when servants were hired and paid. Also on these days contracts and leases would begin or end.
The Term Days were Whitsun
and Martinmas. Together with Candlemas and Lammas
they constituted the Quarter Days.
Candlemas, on 2 February, was originally the feast of the Purification
, or the Presentation of Christ. This was celebrated in pre-Reformation
times by candlelit processions.
Whitsun was originally the feast of Pentecost
, around which a great many christenings
would occur, so it became associated with the colour white. In Scotland the legal Term Day of Whitsun was fixed on 26 May (Julian Calendar
). This became 15 May under the Gregorian Calendar
which was adopted in Scotland in 1599.
Lammas was celebrated on 1 August. This was the day the first fruits of the harvest were offered, the name coming from the Anglo-Saxon for 'loaf-mass' or 'bread-feast'.
Martinmas, on 11 November, was originally the feast of Saint Martin of Tours, a 4th century bishop and hermit.
In Scotland, 1886 saw the term dates for removals and the hiring of servants in towns changed to 28 February, 28 May, 28 August and 28 November. The original dates are now referred to as Old Scottish Term Days. The dates were regularised by the Term and Quarter Days (Scotland) Act 1990
.
- use the term days to name their academic terms or semesters. Typically a semester system will allow for two terms: Candlemas and Martinmas and a term system will permit three terms: Martinmas, Candlemas and Whitsun.
Kingdom of Scotland
The Kingdom of Scotland was a Sovereign state in North-West Europe that existed from 843 until 1707. It occupied the northern third of the island of Great Britain and shared a land border to the south with the Kingdom of England...
in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. Like the Kingdom of England
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...
's quarter days
Quarter days
In British and Irish tradition, the quarter days were the four dates in each year on which servants were hired, and rents were due. They fell on four religious festivals roughly three months apart and close to the two solstices and two equinoxes....
, they were the four days dividing the legal year, when rent and interest on loans, and minister
Minister of religion
In Christian churches, a minister is someone who is authorized by a church or religious organization to perform functions such as teaching of beliefs; leading services such as weddings, baptisms or funerals; or otherwise providing spiritual guidance to the community...
s' stipend
Stipend
A stipend is a form of salary, such as for an internship or apprenticeship. It is often distinct from a wage or a salary because it does not necessarily represent payment for work performed, instead it represents a payment that enables somebody to be exempt partly or wholly from waged or salaried...
s were due, and when servants were hired and paid. Also on these days contracts and leases would begin or end.
The Term Days were Whitsun
Whitsun
Whitsun is the name used in the UK for the Christian festival of Pentecost, the seventh Sunday after Easter, which commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Christ's disciples...
and Martinmas. Together with Candlemas and Lammas
Lammas
In some English-speaking countries in the Northern Hemisphere, August 1 is Lammas Day , the festival of the wheat harvest, and is the first harvest festival of the year. On this day it was customary to bring to church a loaf made from the new crop...
they constituted the Quarter Days.
Candlemas, on 2 February, was originally the feast of the Purification
Presentation of Jesus at the Temple
The Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, which falls on 2 February, celebrates an early episode in the life of Jesus. In the Eastern Orthodox Church and some Eastern Catholic Churches, it is one of the twelve Great Feasts, and is sometimes called Hypapante...
, or the Presentation of Christ. This was celebrated in pre-Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
times by candlelit processions.
Whitsun was originally the feast of Pentecost
Pentecost
Pentecost is a prominent feast in the calendar of Ancient Israel celebrating the giving of the Law on Sinai, and also later in the Christian liturgical year commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Christ after the Resurrection of Jesus...
, around which a great many christenings
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
would occur, so it became associated with the colour white. In Scotland the legal Term Day of Whitsun was fixed on 26 May (Julian Calendar
Julian calendar
The Julian calendar began in 45 BC as a reform of the Roman calendar by Julius Caesar. It was chosen after consultation with the astronomer Sosigenes of Alexandria and was probably designed to approximate the tropical year .The Julian calendar has a regular year of 365 days divided into 12 months...
). This became 15 May under the Gregorian Calendar
Gregorian calendar
The Gregorian calendar, also known as the Western calendar, or Christian calendar, is the internationally accepted civil calendar. It was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII, after whom the calendar was named, by a decree signed on 24 February 1582, a papal bull known by its opening words Inter...
which was adopted in Scotland in 1599.
Lammas was celebrated on 1 August. This was the day the first fruits of the harvest were offered, the name coming from the Anglo-Saxon for 'loaf-mass' or 'bread-feast'.
Martinmas, on 11 November, was originally the feast of Saint Martin of Tours, a 4th century bishop and hermit.
In Scotland, 1886 saw the term dates for removals and the hiring of servants in towns changed to 28 February, 28 May, 28 August and 28 November. The original dates are now referred to as Old Scottish Term Days. The dates were regularised by the Term and Quarter Days (Scotland) Act 1990
Term and Quarter Days (Scotland) Act 1990
The Term and Quarter Days Act 1990 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which defined the dates of the Scottish Term and Quarter Days. These are customary divisions of the legal year when contracts traditionally begin and end and payments are due...
.
Modern use
Today, some Scottish universities - particularly the ancient universitiesAncient universities of Scotland
The ancient universities of Scotland are medieval and renaissance universities which continue to exist until the present day. The majority of the ancient universities of the British Isles are located within Scotland, and have a number of distinctive features in common, being governed by a series of...
- use the term days to name their academic terms or semesters. Typically a semester system will allow for two terms: Candlemas and Martinmas and a term system will permit three terms: Martinmas, Candlemas and Whitsun.