Allantide: Traditional Cornish Halloween celebrations

While many of our Hallowe’en traditions have been imported from the USA, you could always celebrate the traditional Cornish festival of Allantide on October 31.

Known in Kernewek as Kalan Gwav, meaning “first day of winter”, Allantide is thought to be the feast day of St Allan, sixth century Bishop of Quimper in Brittany, and is closely related to Celtic festivals: Welsh Hollantide, Irish Samhain and Breton Kala-Goañv, all marking the end of the harvest and beginning of the "darker-half" of the year.

Highly polished red apples were at the centre of Cornish celebrations. Known as Allan apples, they would have been sold at Allan markets and gifted to family members to bring good luck.

As apples are a symbol of love and fertility in many cultures, so Allantide night was considered a time to ask questions of love. Children placed apples under their pillows in the hope of dreaming of their future spouse, while married couples tossed walnuts into the fire to ensure fidelity for the year. Singletons would throw molten metal into cold water; the shape it formed as it cooled was a clue to the occupation of a future lover.

The Allantide version of apple bobbing was to join two planks of wood together in a cross shape, fix a candle to each point, then suspend it from the ceiling hung with apples. The trick is to catch the apples in your mouth without getting covered in hot wax! bells were tolled at Allantide to aid the passage of the spirits, while a "family table" was laid with mementoes of lost loved ones.

You can celebrate Allantide in your own home – remember to carve a locally-grown turnip rather than an American-style pumpkin. Alternatively, attend a public event.

The Cornish Culture Association hosts an annual get-together at the Admiral Benbow in Penzance; find further details on Facebook.

At Lowender Peran in Redruth, Saturday, October 30 is “Hal an Gwav”, or Cornish Winter’s Eve, where Satan from the Cornish Miracle Plays meets the Beast of Bodmin and Penglas, the horse skull Obby Oss from Penzance.

Alternatively, enjoy harvest activities such as apple printing, and corn dolly making at Wheal Martyn near St Austell, from October 31 to 3 November 3.

Further Halloween events: • Shipwreck Museum, Charlestown: Lights Off Lantern Trail, October 22 to 30. Are you brave enough to wander the dark corridors, listening to spooky stories? Creepy crafts, ghoulish games and a special prize for the best Halloween costume. www. shipwreckcharlestown.co.uk

• Lanhydrock Penny Dreadful. October 15 to 31. Haunted treasure trail, creepy characters, activities and spooky treats in the tearoom and shop. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lanhydrock

• Flambards, October 22 to 30: Pumpkin trail through the Victorian Village. Halloween Tricks & Treats Firework Spectacular on Wednesday, October 26 at 7:30pm.

• Newquay, October 22 to 30: Halloween window dress-up competition and ghoulish Town Trail, plus a blood-curdling crescendo on Saturday, October 29 in the family-friendly Zombie Crawl.

• Pendennis Castle, October 22 to 30. A ghoulishly good day out with Dennis, Gnasher and friends, plus tall tales of the strange, the supernatural and the downright silly from costumed performers.

• Bodmin Jail. Take a Go Darker tour, from the gallows to the grave – a Junior Jailers version is available for brave 7+; or experience an intimate, authentic Victorian séance in the original women’s wing on October 31. www.bodminjail.org l