The Tudor Day of Feasting, Faith… and the Winter Kill

Today, 11 November, is Martinmas, the Feast of Saint Martin of Tours. In Tudor England, it was far more than a saint’s day. It marked the great “winter slaughter”, when families across the realm, from manor to cottage, salted and cured their meat to survive the long months ahead.

In this video, I explore the man behind the feast, St Martin, the Roman soldier who became a saint after cutting his cloak in half to clothe a beggar, and reveal how faith, food, and survival intertwined in Tudor life.

Discover:

• The story of St Martin of Tours and why 11 November became his feast day
• How Tudor households prepared for winter by salting meat and preserving food
• The meaning of old sayings like “His Martinmas will come, as it does to every hog”
• Why salt was treasured as life itself
• And how Spain’s La Matanza still echoes the traditions that fed the Tudors

Martinmas was the Tudor turning point, the end of harvest, the beginning of winter, and a moment of gratitude for what the land and animals provided.

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