NEXT FLITCH TRIALS
Saturday 13 July 2024
only 706 days to go 		 

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The next Flitch Trials will be held on Saturday 13th July 2024.

Click here for more details about Trials Day 2022 and to check out our fantastic sponsors.

WELCOME TO THE DUNMOW FLITCH TRIALS

The Dunmow Flitch Trials exist to award a flitch of bacon to married couples from anywhere in the world, if they can satisfy the Judge and Jury of 6 maidens and 6 bachelors that in 'twelvemonth and a day', they have 'not wisht themselves unmarried again'.

A reference to The Dunmow Flitch can even be found in The Wife of Bath's Tale within Chaucer's 14th century Canterbury Tales.

The Flitch Trials are held every 4 years in Great Dunmow, Essex, England. The town is located north-east of London, just off the A120 between the M11 at Stansted Airport and Colchester: view a map

We must ensure that this unique local tradition continues for hundreds more years. So if you haven't seen or heard of the Dunmow Flitch Trials before, take a browse through this website, then come and watch the trials.

For more info, to volunteer or sponsor the Flitch Trials, please get in touch.

The Flitch Trials are about Marriage. Hopefully, happy marriages. High Court Judge Sir Paul Coleridge launched The Marriage Foundation in 2012. Sir Paul's wise words make us think that especially, in these austere times, less is actually more: 'Marriage is not something that falls out of the sky, ready made, onto beautiful people in white linen suits,' says Sir Paul, 'It involves endless hard work, compromises, forgiveness and love.'

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What's a Flitch of Bacon?
It's also known as a side of bacon, which is basically half a pig, cut lengthways.
Become a Friend
As a Friend of the Flitch Trials, you will be helping to secure the future of this unique and ancient tradition. Every four years, the cost and complexity of putting on the Flitch Trials increases. With your support we can increase the network of people interested in preserving the custom and developing the event to ensure the Flitch Trials continues to be a mainstay on the town's event calendar.
Find out more...
Claim the Bacon
The application process for happily married couples wishing to claim a Flitch usually opens in September prior to the Trials and closes on Valentines Day of Trials year. Applications for the 2022 Trials are now closed, but any enthusiastic couples can email us to register their interest and be notified when the applications open again.
Get in touch...
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