Nickanan Night
nickanan night sometimes called hall monday peasen monday cornish feast traditionally held shrovetide specifically shrove monday sometimes called roguery night west cornwall england uk event excuse local youth undertake act minor vandalism play practical joke neighbour family name nickanan may come practice knocking door running away known nicky nicky nine door part englishspeaking world eating pea soup salt bacon also associated date th century thomas quiller couch described nickanan night day termed hall monday precedes shrove tuesday dusk evening custom boy case age boy prowl street short club knock loudly every door running escape detection slightest sign motion within however attention excited especially article discovered negligently exposed carelessly guarded thing carried away following day discovered displayed conspicuous place expose disgraceful want vigilance supposed characterise owner time practised called nickanan night individual concerned supposed represent imp darkness seize expose unguarded moment following rhyme used cornish child evening following day shrove tuesday st ives coastal community also traditional gather shell fish limpet mussel winkle practice known going triggin produce gathered known trigg meat still practised easter people living close helford river nickanan period another custom prevailed throughout cornwall village usual make jack lent straw figure dressed unlike guy fawkes night guy jackolent paraded local community pelted projectile burned bonfire practice late th century common polperro fire ritual associated jackolent may also indicate celtic pagan origin may closely related imbolc festival popularity cornish hurling nickanan season indicates similarity st ives feast festivity near candlemas hurling silver ball st columb major still occurs run lent chewidden thursday tom bawcocks eve picrous day golowan