Common Ground Common Ground
Wassailing January 2009
Wassailing is an old custom that takes place on Old Twelfth Night (17 January, pre 1752 and the adoption in Britain of the Gregorian calendar) or thereabouts, to exhort apple trees to fruit well the following season. Customs and songs differ from place to place. At many events cider is poured onto the roots and shots fired through the branches to ward off evil spirits. Warm cider is drunk and toast soaked in cider is placed in the branches for the robin. Wassail songs are sung.
'Wassail' is from the Anglo-Saxon 'waes hael' meaning "be in good health" (think hale and hearty).
Read more HERE
Find a Wassailing event near you - tell us if you know of one we haven't listed - info [at] commonground.org.uk
Please check dates and times with the organiser before setting out.
CAMBRIDGESHIRE
Let us know about Wassailing events in your area!
CORNWALL
Saturday 17 January 2009 Trelissick Gardens, Feock, Truro TR3 6QJ (National Trust). Ensure a good harvest in Trelissick’s orchard through the traditional West Country tradition of Wassailing. Help scare away evil spirits with as much noise as possible. Bring torch. Normal admission fees apply. (01872 862090)
DEVON
Saturday 17 January 2009 Stoke Gabriel. 4.30 for food, music and Morris Dancers. Procession starts at 5.30. at the Scout Hut and village orchard. A magical evening - join the lantern parade to the orchard led by the Wassail Singers for the ancent ceremony. Then b entertained by the Newton Bushel Morris Dancers, Bovey Tracey Mummers, folk music and storytelling with Clive Fairweather. Home made soup, pasties, cakes, barbeque, bar, warm mulled cider. Bring your own lantern, torch and wrap up warm. £2.50 adults, £1 children. J.Rawlinson@plymouth.ac.uk
DORSET
Sunday 4 January 4.30 Donkey Field Community Orchard, Enmore Green, Shaftesbury. There will be wassail songs, cider, a bonfire & toast hung on the trees for the robin, the guardian of the orchard plus lots of noise to ward off evil spirits & bless next season's harvest. Earlier in the day, from 2.30pm, we will be working in the orchard and planting Dorset varieties of apple trees. If you can make it bring tools such as a fork or spade and warm clothes!
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
Contact for details of individual events:
Horsley Orchard Project 01453 833699
Maisemore Local History Society Ros Lane 01452 527341
Thingwell Park Organic Orchard [Bristol] 0117 9655553
Wick Court Farm, Arlingham. Jonathan Crump 01452 740117
South Gloucestershire D Council 01454 862215 Sally.Pattison@southglos.gov.uk
HAMPSHIRE
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HEREFORDSHIRE
6 January Leominster Morris on Twelfth Night, or what you will, come and support the Leominster Morris with their annual celebration to the goddess Pomona, thereby bringing a blessing on the county's orchards and encouraging a bountiful crop for the following season. A truly ancient and magical tradition. www.leominstermorris.co.uk Bagman Richard Wheeler 01568 720426
?? Broome Farm, Peterstow, Ross-on-Wye, HR9 6QG (01989 567232)
HERTFORDSHIRE
Saturday 3rd January 6.30pm Shenley Park, Shenley. Meet at the Orchard Tea Room, come dressed warmly in ‘Old English Folk style clothing', bring a torch or lantern and something to make a noise with – such as a drum, a saucepan, bells – anything you like. We lead a procession, torch lit into the Orchard whereupon we gather around a tree. We hold a short ceremony, then hang pieces of toast soaked in cider from the branches of the tree and pour cider around the base of the tree as a present to the tree. www.shenleypark.co.uk
KENT
Saturday 10 January New Ash Green 4.00 onwards The Woodlands Group invites you to their 3rd annual wassail in the our brilliant community orchard. Meet at 4 pm at the Badger pub for mulled wine and mince pies. Torch lit procession to the orchard at 4.45 with the New Ash Green wassail sung en route. Robins, toast, cider, more songs and Wassail chants around the King Tree in the orchard, Wassail dance by West Hill Morris,and very loud noise making before returning to the Badger. Donations welcome. Bring torch and noise making gear. For more info call Jerry on 07810 503 995 or e-mail jerryash41@hotmail.com
LINCOLNSHIRE
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LONDON
Let us know about Wassailing events in your area!
NORFOLK
Saturday 10 January 5.00 at The Orchard, Kenninghall Wood NR16. Park at the Red Lion pub, orchard is along the green lane, five minutes walk. Wear suitable clothes and footwear, bring torch, lanterns, toast, tin lids, musical instruments, whistles and bells.... [antidote to a quiet night in...]. Mulled cider and apple juice on sale. Bonfire - Christmas trees without roots or any other future welcome. Contact Lucy Whittle 01953 888117 Lands-trust@kenninghall.org.uk
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
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SOMERSET
Saturday 17 January, 5.30-9pm Barrington Court (National Trust) A lively celebration to scare off any evil spirits which may threaten the coming years’ apple crop. Music, poetry, bonfire, Morris Dancing, Mummers, cider and apple juice, rounded off by gunshots into the trees. “Wassail! wassail! all over the town, Our toast it is white and our ale it is brown; Our bowl it is made of the white maple tree; With the wassailing bowl, we'll drink to thee." Gates open at Barrington Court at 5pm. Last admission is 8.30 pm. Adult tickets are £2.50, children under 18 are free. Dress for a night outside, and please bring a torch. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/barrington
Saturday 17th January 2009 from 3pm BROADLANDS ORCHARDSHARE, Box Road, Batheaston, Bath BA1 7LR - Community Orchard Wassail - a traditional orchard winter event, with Walcot State Choir. Join us in decorating apple trees with toast and ribbons, followed by a walk through the orchard by lamplight. There will be songs (with the Choir) and punch, plus campfire cooking after. Bring pots and pans or a drum to bang on, and a torch or lantern. Dress warmly. Suggested donation £2 adult, kids free Note the new Broadlands Orchardshare contact number: Tel or Text 07532 472 256
Saturday 17th January Carhampton. The Carhampton ritual involves circling the biggest tree in the orchard (this king tee representing all the others) singing the local wassail song that expresses hope for the future harvest, and ends in a loud hurrah. Noise is important to the ceremony, supposedly to scare off the evil spirits who might spoil the harvest to come, or alternatively to waken the good spirits of the tree so they can get on with their work of growing healthy apples. A shotgun is fired to make sure the celebration does not go unnoticed. Pieces of toast dipped in cider are hung on the branches of the tree for the robins who represent the good spirits of the orchard.
Saturday 17 January 7.30 - 9.30 Glastonbury Rural Life Museum Celebration of Old Twelfth Night with wassailing in the cider orchard and dancing in the Abbey Barn. Music by Rapscallion. Please book tickets in advance: £7.50 adult £4.50 child. Somerset Rural Life Museum, Abbey Farm, Chilkwell Street, Glastonbury, Somerset BA6 8DB Call: 01458 831197 Fax: 01458 834684
Saturday 17 January Montacute House (National Trust) 6.00 - 9.00 “The need to protect our orchards from evil spirits may have passed, but this is a great chance to enjoy Montacute and Barrington Court after dark, while also experiencing a good family-themed knees up in the bleakest part of winter. It’s also a fantastic chance to learn about the National Trust’s involvement with good local food and great local traditions”. Meet in the car park at 6pm. Last admission is 8.30 pm. Adult tickets are £2, Children £1 or a family is £5. Dress warmly and please bring a torch. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/montacutehouse
17 January Saturday Radford Mill Farm, Timsbury, nr Bath from 4.00 If you feel like getting away from the city come & wassail in the fresh air at Radford Mill Farm! Join us for the tradition toasting of the apple trees with the Avalon Free State Choir , Songs for the trees, Fire, Music, Dance, Blessings, Toffee apples, Cider, Mulled apple juice ... Families welcome, suggested donation £5 contact : 01761 479525 www.radfordmillfarm.co.uk - click on Events and then Wassailing
17 January Saturday 7.00 Weston, Bath. The Orchard, Broadmoor Lane.Tis’ Old Twelfth Night, time to come join the Weston Mummers a’wassailing the apple trees. Everyone welcome! Please bring: A lantern or torch(to read the song sheet), Something to make a noise (a horn, bell, drum – a wooden spoon & saucepan will do!), a cup(for the punch) -better still a wassailing bowl! There will be a collection, which will be donated to Dorothy House www.weston-mummers.org.uk
Sunday 18th January 2-5pm Willsbridge Mill. A lively ceremony to awaken the sleeping orchard and its wildlife to ensure a bumper harvest later in the year. Make noisy instruments, present toast to the robins the guardians of the orchard and sing Wassailing songs! Home made apple refreshments. Tools Plea - forks, spades, etc (needed for pre event workshop with local school Mon 12 Jan). As part of this orchard tradition noisy instruments are sounded to wake the trees and frighten away evil spirits and orchard pests. Please we need your old redundant tools lurking in garden sheds that we could give a good home and new lease of life too . We plan to create an orchestra of sculptural sound pieces using the tools and various attachments if you can donate please contact Ruth Worsley, (0117 932 6885) www.avonwildlifetrust.org.uk Free entry
Sunday 1 February Boiling Wells City Farm, Bristol 1 - 5pm. £3 for adults, £2 for children, free for under 5's. Storytelling for adults and children, a wassail ceremony, rag morris dancers, music, craft workshops, food, drink and much merriment. No cars please and no dogs, except guide dogs. If you're not sure where Boiling Wells is please get in touch – I'm very happy to give directions. Please come and join us to wish the apple trees well, listen to some stories, do some singing and toast the health of the trees... any willing volunteers out there, please e-mail or telephone (number and e-mail below). Lots of jobs from serving soup to helping with the clay and craft workshops. Hope to see you there, Sophie heritage@swcityfarm.co.uk / 0117 9428241
SURREY
Let us know about Wassailing events in your area!
SUSSEX
Saturday 3rd January, 6.00pm Old Mill Farm, Bolney. Torchlight procession and noisy ceremony. This begins with a ‘general hullabaloo’, shotguns being fired into the air, at which point everyone makes as much noise as possible. Bring your own 'instruments' – dustbin lids, old saucepans and football rattles. Dancing by the Chanctonbury Ring Morris Men. www.chancsarchive.org.uk
Saturday 10th January Hunters Moon Wassail in association with Middle Farm, Firle. Largest wassail in East Sussex. Further information: Heather 901323 769848), Christine (01323 520440).
Saturday 10th January The Royal Oak, Rye Foreign, Peasmarsh. 7-7.30 Singing around the Apple Tree, blessing, toasting and loud bangs. Singing of songs in Royal, squeeze boxes and drinking of cider and strong ale. The Royal Oak is on the A268 between Peasmarsh and Rye, see you there.
WARWICKSHIRE
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WORCESTERSHIRE
Saturday 17 January, 8.30pm. Wassail, The Fleece Inn, Bretforton. Contact Nigel or Jenny (01386 831173) jenny@thefleeceinn.co.uk
YORKSHIRE
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WALES
Monmouthshire
Saturday 24th January Chepstow Wassail and Mari Lwyd. The first wassail will take place at the lower Dell (near Three Tuns pub) around 3.30pm and again at the Bandstand (near The Bridge Inn) at 7pm. Mr Peter Symonds of CROW (The Campaign for the Revival of Wassailing) will conduct the proceedings along with The Forest of Dean Morris men and friends. The event includes singing, dancing, blessing an apple tree and hanging pieces of toast soaked in cider on its branches.
The Mari Lwyd (Grey Mare) is an ancient Welsh custom which probably originated in South Wales similar to ‘first footing at New Year’. Traditionally a horse’s skull or representation of same is carried from house to house by the Mari Lwyd group. At the house a kind of singing competition between the group and the people of the house begins after the group has knocked on the door and requested entry for food and drink. Eventually, the Mari group are given entry and sustenance, there is more singing and capers and then after blessing the household, off to the next house.
Meeting at the Border: probably unique to Chepstow. At around 6.30pm the Wassail group and the Mari Lwyd group gather on the border (middle of the old iron bridge) where they greet each other and exchange flags in a gesture of friendship and unity between them. The Welsh then invite the English to join them in Wales in their merrymaking.
This will be followed by a country dance ceilidh at The Drill Hall.
