Boscobel

reel in Dmix

2017

May 29th was the day that Charles II was crowned, and the oak apple was a symbol of the narrow escape he had when hiding as a fugitive in an oak tree after the battle of Worcester. The Boscobel oak was said to have saved the future king, and monarchists adopted wearing a sprig of oak as a symbol of loyalty to the crown. On Oak Apple Day, those loyal monarchists would wear a sprig as a sign, and children would challenge others to show their sprig or have their bottom pinched, hence the title of Pinch-Bum-Day.