Town of Eccles, UK - Brit-Fix Village Traditions with Eccles Cakes

 

Are you interested in learning about the origins of British pastries? Historians believe that the famous Eccles cake can be traced back to the town of Eccles, which was once part of Lancashire, but is now a suburb of Manchester. The name Eccles means church, derived from the Greek word Ecclesia, meaning an assembly. It is believed that the town was named after the old church constructed in 1111 AD. 

Every year, a service was held at the church to celebrate its construction, which became known as the Eccles Wakes. This was followed by a fair where food and drink were sold in abundance, including the ever-popular Eccles Cake. 

When Oliver Cromwell gained power in 1650 A.D., both the wakes and the eating of Eccles Cakes were banned due to the Puritan belief that they both had pagan connections. On the other hand, maybe the powers that be in London, did not want their Northern subjects to have too much of a good thing!

On visiting the town of Eccles it would have been a difficult task to miss the bakery, which claims to have made Eccles Cakes for hundreds of years. The great English novelist, Arnold Bennett, once called this shop ‘The most romantic shop in the world’, unfortunately, this shop has now been demolished.

Did you know that Eccles cakes, a popular pastry, have their origins in the town of Eccles, which was formerly within the Lancashire boundary but is now a suburb of Manchester? The word "Eccles" means "church" and is derived from the Greek word "Ecclesia," which means an assembly. It is believed that the town was named after an old church constructed in 1111 AD, around which it grew. Each year, a service was held at the church to celebrate its construction, which became known as the "Eccles Wakes" and was followed by a fair where food and drink could be purchased in abundance, including the ever-popular Eccles Cake. Join us on Facebook to learn more interesting facts like this and feel free to write us a comment!

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