0 Good Old Sunday Lunch- Adored By Us All. But, Where Did It Come From?

by Sadlers
05-10-2021

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Us Brits love our Sunday Lunches. Hearty, comforting and delicious- we just cant get enough of it. After a great service on Sunday with many of our regular customers and some new faces, I started thinking about the origins of this weekend tradition. Sunday lunch originated in the British Isles and was originally a meal that was eaten after attending Church On Sundays. The Roman Catholic & Anglican churches avoided eating meat on certain days of the week, think 'Fish Friday', so a large meal could be eaten after Church as a mark of celebration. Families would place a joint of meat in the oven while getting ready for church, and add in potato & a selection of vegetables to the mix. When they returned from Church, the feast was pretty much ready. Poorer families who didn't have the luxury of an oven, would drop their joint of meat off at the local Bakers. It was then cooked in the bread ovens, as Bread wasn't baked on Sundays. There are two theories as to when Sunday Lunch first came about , the first during the reign of King Henry VII in 1485. The royal Bodyguards, 'beefeaters' apparently got their name from their love of eating roast beef. Another theory is that it dates back to medieval times, when the Serfs served the Squire 6 days a week. On Sundays after attending church, they would practice their battle skills and be rewarded with a feast of Oxen if they performed well. A traditional accompaniment to our beloved Sunday Roast is of course the Yorkshire Pudding. In times gone by, the famous pud was not served with the meat, it came as a 'starter' filled with gravy, in the hopes it would fill people up so they didn't eat as much meat. The roast itself was served with the usual roast potato, roast parsnip, carrots, cauliflower cheese and greens, finished off with a rich gravy made with the meat juices. The popularity of a good Sunday Roast certainly hasn't declined over the years with us Brits placing it in the top 10 of things we love about the UK. Not surprisingly, the Countryside and a good cup of Tea are in that list too! Here at Sadlers, we are offering Sunday Lunch Throughout the Autumn /Winter 12-4.30pm. We only use the finest quality produce, cooked to perfection and served with Sadlers Famous Gravy. You can view our menu here.