St Swithin's Day

Yes, that's today and it's raining on and off round here. And the legend says that the weather will remain like this for the next forty days. What's the story? St Swithin (or Swithun) was a Bishop of the early church and by all accounts a modest man, so although he was a Bishop he asked that when he died he should be buried in an ordinary grave outside the cathedral. His wishes were originally observed, but after a few years it was decided that his remains should be exhumed and reburied in a magnificent tomb inside the cathedral. Legend has it that when this was done (on the 15th July 971) it poured with rain, and continued to do so for weeks after. Hence the rhyme -
St. Swithin's day if thou dost rain
For forty days it will remain
St. Swithin's day if thou be fair
For forty days 'twill rain nae mair.
Like much of weather lore, there is some grain of sense in there. By this point in the year the jet stream has usually established a set position and so we are likely to get a period of settled weather - good or bad. Doesn't always work though - let's hope this year is one of those when it doesn't!