The tradition of eating pancakes goes way way back. Pancake Day or Shrove Tuesday was the last day before Lent. In ye olden times, Lent was much more strictly observed and a lot of things were not permitted (mainly fun things) and you couldn't eat meat, eggs or dairy. So pancake day was a day to use up all the milk and eggs.
Many vestiges of frenetic merry-making before the 6 weeks or so of Lent started still remain around the country - usually involving 500-a-side football as in Alnwick and Ashbourne.
