November 2 is by tradition the Day of All Souls, and it was long believed that the unhappy souls of the dead would return to their former homes. On the eve of All Souls it was customary to keep kitchens warm and leave food on the table overnight for the visiting spirits. Until 1850 the following ‘Shropshire Soul Cakes’ were distributed on All Souls’ Day, and there is a similar ‘souls cake’ tradition in Belgium, Bavaria and the Tyrol.