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Lammas observed at Borough Market and Southwark Cathedral

London SE1 website team

Ancient Lammas Day was kept in Borough Market with the blessing of the first bread to be produced from the 2017 harvest.

Lammas observed at Borough Market and Southwark Cathedral
Lammas blessing in Bread Ahead
Lammas observed at Borough Market and Southwark Cathedral
The bread is carried across the road to Southwark Cathedral
Lammas observed at Borough Market and Southwark Cathedral
The bread in Southwark Cathedral
Lammas observed at Borough Market and Southwark Cathedral
Louise holds the harvest sheaf complete with traditional mouse

The first grains of wheat from the harvest were milled by hand on Friday by the Dean of Southwark, the Very Revd Andrew Nunn, in the Bread Ahead bakery in Borough Market.

Over the weekend the new flour was baked into a harvest sheaf, a small loaf and several Cathedral loaves for use in the Lammas-tide ceremony.

On Tuesday as he sprinkled holy water to bless the bakery, Southwark Cathedral Sub Dean, Canon Michael Rawson, spoke warmly of the deepening links between Bread Ahead and the cathedral. This was especially poignant because of the way in which Bread Ahead and cathedral staff had given mutual support after the attacks last June on Borough Market.

Bread Ahead's Matt Jones , Louise Gellatly who made the harvest sheaf, and the other bakers processed with the loaves to the cathedral for a short service.

One loaf was used at the midday Eucharist service when bread is broken and shared.

Lammas, which dates from Saxon times, falls on 1 August and is a thanksgiving for the first-fruits of the wheat harvest. The custom has been observed in Borough Market since 2014.

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