Swithun, Bishop of Winchester2026 · Date · History
The Church of England calendar lists Swithun, Bishop of Winchester, on 15 July.
About Swithun, Bishop of Winchester
The Church of England commemorates Swithun, Bishop of Winchester, on July 15 in its Lesser Festivals calendar. He was a ninth-century bishop associated with the city and cathedral.
The observance is religious and historical. It is not a UK nationwide bank holiday, and later rain folklore is not a scientifically reliable long-range weather forecast.
Why Swithun, Bishop of Winchester matters
For churchgoers, the commemoration recalls Swithun’s ministry and the local legacy of the Winchester church. The cathedral continues to hold services connected with his story.
In English folklore, rain on Saint Swithun’s Day is said to predict a long wet period. This is a traditional rhyme, not an established meteorological forecasting method.
History of Swithun, Bishop of Winchester
The Church of England Lesser Festivals calendar names July 15 for Swithun, Bishop of Winchester, about AD 862.
Winchester Cathedral documents a 2022 July 15 feast service and procession to his shrine. A cathedral historical study traces older calendar and relic-translation traditions.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
7 fields not established in reviewed sources
Also known as
Saint Swithin’s Day, St Swithun’s Day
How to Observe Swithun, Bishop of Winchester
Read the Church of England’s Lesser Festivals calendar entry.
Explore Winchester Cathedral’s history of its bishop and shrine.
Treat popular weather sayings as folklore rather than reliable forecasts.
If attending services, check cathedral schedules and respect worshippers.
Swithun, Bishop of Winchester Facts
Commemoration: July 15 in the Church of England calendar.
Swithun was Bishop of Winchester in the ninth century.
The cathedral retains historical and liturgical links with the saint.
Rain folklore does not guarantee forty days of any particular weather.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
- Faith Context Respect.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
Church of England — official Lesser Festivals calendar July 15 (opens in a new tab)
Winchester Cathedral — recorded St Swithun feast July 15 and procession (opens in a new tab)
Winchester Cathedral — historical study of St Swithun and July 15 translation (opens in a new tab)
Church of England — The Calendar (opens in a new tab)
Official Faith Calendar
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is Swithun, Bishop of Winchester?
15 July The documented recurrence rule is: 15 July.
Does Swithun, Bishop of Winchester fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is Swithun, Bishop of Winchester an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: Church of England calendar / commemoration of Swithun, Bishop of Winchester. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes Swithun, Bishop of Winchester?
The documented basis is: The Church of England calendar lists Swithun, Bishop of Winchester, on 15 July.. Supporting evidence includes Church of England — The Calendar. The site does not infer a separate creator or founder unless reviewed evidence establishes one.
Is Swithun, Bishop of Winchester international or country-specific?
No single country is assigned to this observance. Its documented scope is: Church of England calendar / commemoration of Swithun, Bishop of Winchester. Use that scope rather than assuming worldwide or country-specific status.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-10-08.
When is Saint Swithun’s Day?
July 15 in the Church of England Lesser Festivals calendar.
Who was Saint Swithun?
A ninth-century Bishop of Winchester remembered in English Christian tradition.
Does rain mean forty more days of rain?
No. That is a folklore saying, not a reliable scientific weather forecast.
Is it a public bank holiday across Britain?
No nationwide bank holiday is established in the reviewed church sources.
Other observances on July 15
These observances are also listed on July 15, 2027.
15 July Democracy and National Unity Day
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Be a Dork Day
The first-party Wellcat Holidays calendar lists Be a Dork Day on July 15 and identifies the collection as created by Thomas and Ruth Roy.
National Developmental Disability Professionals Day
NAQ states that it founded Developmental Disability Professionals Day as a stand-alone day every year on 15 July to recognize professionals who support people with intellectual and developm…
National Give Something Away Day
National Day Calendar identifies Linda Eaton Hall-Fulcher as the founder of National Give Something Away Day in 2015 and records July 15 as the annual date.
National Pet Fire Safety Day
AKC and ADT launched the inaugural National Pet Fire Safety Day in July 2009; current first-party pages continue the July 15 awareness campaign.
World Youth Skills Day
A/RES/69/145