03/12/2009

Kiss goodbye to Christmas in York this December as the frighteningly fun attraction present: Christmas Cromwell-ed! 
 
From the 12th of December until 26th December the York Dungeon will transport those who dare back to the year 1647 when in a fit of fanatical Puritanism, Oliver Cromwell banned Christmas.  Surrounded by burnt Christmas trees, smashed decorations, robins on spears and severed heads choking on their last mince pies, Oliver Cromwell's henchman waits to greet those brave enough to venture inside.  
 
Woe betide those with a Merry Christmas on their lips or Mince pies on their breath, these have been condemned by Oliver Cromwell as illegal demons of Catholic decadence, and his henchman does not take kindly to law breakers. Those who have committed festive felonies will suffer grave punishments. Mince pies have remained illegal to this very day.
 
Dungeon visitors will venture through the Dungeon's crazed room 101 of all things festive gone horribly wrong, and must prepare to defend themselves in the Dungeon's anti -Christmas courtroom. The puritan Judge Mental will be making visitors quake in their Christmas stockings as he singles them out for their crazed Christmas crimes, so beware all those who have been quaffing sherry, wrapping presents or toasting a turkey!
 
Should visitors survive the petrifying punishments laid out by Judge Mental, there's a whole Dungeon of blood, gore, and more to explore. From terrors in the torture chamber, the pestilence of the plague and the Bloody Vikings, there's centuries of history's horrible bits to discover.
 
For further information, opening times and ticket prices please see www.thedungeons.com or call: 01904 632599   . . . IF YOU DARE!
 

Crazy Christmas facts:

• It is still illegal to eat mince pies in Britain today after they were condemned as illegal by Oliver Cromwell in 1647. Offender's caught stuffing mince pies at Christmas in the 1600s under Cromwell's law could be arrested and fined 5 shillings. 
   
  Cromwell didn't just condemn mince pies, any thing to do with Christmas - decorations such as Holly, singing, carolling, drinking to excess and generally having a good time were all outlawed.
  Even Christmas services held in church were broken up by Cromwell's armed  soldiers. 
   
  It is an offence under a law passed by Elizabeth 1st in 1588 to eat any other bird but Goose on Christmas Day -so watch out all those having Turkey! 

Other bizarre Laws:

• You can take a cow to the pub (the animal, not your Mrs) but cannot be drunk as it is illegal to be drunk and in possession of a cow 
• Edward VI passed a law stipulating a hard boiled egg must be cracked at the round end or the offender would spend 24 hours in the village stocks. 
• In a law passed in 1837, women are allowed to bite off a man's nose if he kisses her against her will.
• In Hereford you can shoot a Welsh person on a Sunday, with a longbow, in the Cathedral Close.
  
• Women are permitted to go topless in Liverpool provided they work as a clerk in a shop selling tropical fish.
• In London it is illegal to hail a taxi while suffering from bubonic plague. 
• Sticking a postage stamp showing the head of the Queen on an envelope upside down is considered treason.

For further information, pictures or request to visit the Dungeons, please contact:
 
Krissi Neal Marketing & Event Coordinator
12 Clifford Street, York Y010 4JS
01904 632 599
krissi.neal@merlinentertainments.biz