12 incredible English traditions that will surprise you

The British have long had a reputation for being selflessly devoted to their national traditions. Moreover, the inhabitants of the British Isles observe both the customs of a global, national scale, such as the famous "five-o-clock", and many local ones formed at the county or even city level. It is worth learning more about a dozen of the most unusual traditions of residents from different parts of the UK.

Since 1937, in the town of High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, it has been customary to weigh the mayor and his councillors. On one of the fine May days, the residents of the town gather at the town hall and make sure that the procedure for determining the weight of officials is carried out according to the regulations.

In High Wycombe, it is considered that if managers have gained weight in a year, then they are not clean on hand. In this case, the mayor and his team are booed and showered with ridicule, although relatively recently it was allowed to throw rotten vegetables, fruits and eggs at officials.

A fun and traumatic competition traditionally takes place in the town of Coopers Hill in Gloucestershire. The organizers of the event let a cheese head from a fairly steep mountain, which the participants must catch. The one who caught up with the cheese and turned out to be the first with it at the foot of the mountain becomes the winner of the prize — the same cheese head.

The competitions are accompanied by laughter and jokes, and every year there are participants who are not laughing at all. During the existence of the tradition, there have been not only injuries, but also tragic cases. Several episodes with broken necks led to the fact that in 2010 the race was banned and in recent years it has been held unofficially.

In Dorking, Surrey, for a long time there was a tradition according to which the groom had to carry the bride into the house in his arms. For unknown reasons, this cute custom has transformed into a real sports competition for the strong in body and spirit. Now the men of Dorking have to run 400 meters on their shoulders with their wife, and for a while.

We were taught from childhood that it is impossible to throw bread, but for the residents of Abingdon, Oxfordshire, there is nothing shameful about this. Since the Middle Ages, the mayors of the city have been throwing buns from the tower of the city castle into the crowd of citizens on the occasion of significant events that took place in the royal family. If the poor used to participate in the event, today the distribution of buns gathers all citizens and tourists who come to take a look at the strange tradition.

Domestic chicken races have been held in the village of Bonsall, Derbyshire, for 100 years. The feathered contest takes place in absolute silence so that the "athletes" are not distracted and not scared. The excitement of this quiet event is given by the fact that chickens from neighboring villages also participate in the competitions.

Swampy Llanurtyd Wells, Powys, attracts visitors with annual swimming competitions, which take place in a ditch with mud. If the participants are lucky, the rain will brighten up their swim somewhat, diluting the liquid with water, but in general, the participants have to fight far from the waves. Mandatory equipment for all swimmers is a mask and a snorkel, and in recent years, mountain bike races have also been arranged separately.

Residents and guests of Egremont, Cumbria, gather once a year to face off... with faces. The participants of the unusual competition are trying their best to make as stupid a grimace as possible in order to shame less skilled opponents and earn a symbolic prize and the approval of numerous spectators.

A very unusual competition called "Wormcharming" has been attended by several generations of residents of Blackton, Devon. The task of the competitors is to lure an earthworm out of the ground by any means. The winner is the one who will be able to cope with this difficult task the fastest. Most often, vibrations are used to "communicate" with the inhabitants of chernozems, simply by stomping on the ground with their feet.

The idea, which the boys are fond of, gathers quite respectable men from Lidbury North, Shropshire, at Lake Walcott. The winner, of course, is the one whose stone will make more bounces from the water surface.

The annual festival in Uttlesay, Cambridgeshire, is very similar to our Carnival. A man in a bear costume made of straw participates in the festive procession through the streets of the city. The parade is accompanied by songs and dances, and at the end of the day the straw suit is burned to the general rejoicing.

The unusual event, held in Marshwood, Dorset, has been held annually for more than 30 years. During the competition, under the supervision of a strict jury, a huge amount of vitamin-rich wild greens is eaten. The founder of the vegan championship is a local resident who ate a nettle bush on a bet in the mid-80s of the last century. It should be mentioned that the Marshwood competition is not unique — the nettle eating championship takes place in many countries.

In Ottery St Mary, Devon, it has been customary for several centuries to run with a burning barrel filled with a mixture of resin, paper and straw. This occupation is very dangerous, since the container is prescribed to be carried on the shoulders, and not rolled on the ground. It is believed that the tradition appeared in 1605, after the exposure of the Gunpowder conspiracy.