Civil year of Great Nortend

The civil year of Great Nortend begins on the 1st of October, which is celebrated as New Year's Day. The year is punctuated by the four term days, being St Michael's Day (29th of September), St Stephen's Day (26th of December), Lady Day (25th of March) and St John's Day (24th of June). The terms which run between these term days form the basis of the civil, academic and legal calendars.

Since assent to the Determination of Years and Terms Act 2 Edm. VI p. 34, terms begin on the closest numerically first day of the month after the traditional term day, viz. the 1st of October, the 1st of January, the 1st of April and the 1st of July.

The few days to a week between St Michael's Day and the 1st of October, St Stephen's Day and the 1st of January, Lady Day and the 1st of April and St John's Day and the 1st of July, are known as the inter-term days and are considered to be attached to the term they precede, although not forming part of it. Thus, although Michaelmas occurs on the 29th of September, the term begins on the 1st of October, and this is how things have been since the passing of the aforementioned Act in 1569.

Terminology

The civil year is denoted by the words anno civili, or A.C. for short, before Roman numerals. Years rendered in Roman numerals are automatically assumed to be in the civil year. The Gregorian year is denoted by the words anno Domini, or A.D. for short, before numerals. Years before A.D. 1 are denoted by the words anni ante natum, or A.N. for short, after numerals. The Gregorian year is a few months later than the civil year. Thus A.C. MMXX begun on the 1st of October, A.D. 2019.

In general use, years are expressed in Gregorian or 'calendar' years or in regnal years, rather than the A.C. terminology.

Terms

The four terms of the civil year are Michaelmas term, Epiphany term, Whitsun term and Marymas term. These are named for the feasts of St Michael, Epiphany, Whitsun and the Nativity of Mary. Epiphany term is also known as Hilary term, after St Hilary, especially in legal and academic use, as the legal and academic Epiphany term begins on or near St Hilary's Day. Michaelmas term is also often called New term, as it marks the start of a new year.

Roughly one third of the way through a term, there is a quarter day. These are All Hallows' Day (1st of November), Candlemas (2nd of February), Roodmas (3rd of May) and Petermas (1st of August). These mark the official boundaries between the seasons.

Regnal year

Since 1780, beginning in 2 Edmund VII, the regnal year has been synchronised with the civil year. The first regnal year is cut short by the 1st of October. Thus the year 1 Alex. II, the first regnal year of the current Sovereign, Alexander II, began at 5·32 a.m. on the 30th of April 2003 when the late Catherine II passed. It finished on the 30th of September 2003, and on the 1st of October 2003, the year 2 Alex. II began. A regnal year also is cut short by the passing of the monarch. The current regnal year is 18 Alex. II which began on the 1st of October 2020.

Regnal years prior to 1780 are not synchronised with the civil year, but rather are dated according to the accession to the throne.

The shortest regnal year was that of John of Hall, who acceded to the throne on the 27th of September 1783. The year 2 Johan. began only four days later, on the 1st of October 1783.

Legal, parliamentary and academic year

The legal year begins in the first term, Michaelmas term and ends in Marymas term. Legal cases are generally cited according to which civil year wherein judgment was delivered. Thus, the case of Nanby v. Oldman, Whit. 7 Alex. II, vol. 713 Mod. Term Rpts p. 563 was decided in the Whitsun term of the 7th year of the reign of Alexander II, or in the Gregorian calendar, on a day between the 1st of April and the 24th of June in 2008.

The parliamentary year also begins in Michaelmas, the ceremony of Exordium Parlamenti normally being held in early November. It lasts until Marymas term.

The academic year also begins in Michaelmas term, and lasts until the end of Whitsun term. Marymas term is known as Marymas vacation, wherein no classes are held, owing to the historical exigencies of harvest time.