Chestnut Sunday
Preserved but no longer current.
A Sunday in spring, generally that immediately before or after Ascension Day, is so called in the London district, because about that time the chestnut avenue at Hampton Court bursts into bloom. Cheval (she val) (Fr., a horse).
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Chestnut Sunday” mean?
A Sunday in spring, generally that immediately before or after Ascension Day, is so called in the London district, because about that time the chestnut avenue at Hampton Court bursts into bloom. Cheval (she val) (Fr., a horse).
Is “Chestnut Sunday” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.