To make January that little less dreary, we can enjoy the fabulous tradition that is “Wassailing!”..
We have blogged about this in the past, it certainly adds some colour (and merriment) to a month where we are recovering from Christmas excesses.
Photo Credit – Bill BradshawHere are some links to reviews that we favourited on Twitter and Facebook.
Walters Farm, Tintinhull Wassail – 7 January 2012 at 7pm
Wassail ceremony for the orchard’s old apple trees followed by music, giant hot dogs, danish pastry and cider punch. Parking at the village hall. Tickets £5 adults, children free. Please contact Anette Lorch to book before 2 Jan 2012. 01935 824868
Mid Somerset Show Wassail Evening – 12 January 2012 at 7pm
At the village green orchard at North Wootton. There will be music, noise, singing, toasting the apple trees, shooting the evil spirits plus bonfire, cider, soft drink bar and pig roast. There is no charge or booking needed for the outdoor part of the evening. Afterwards there will be entertainment in the Village Hall for members of the Society at £5 per head. This will include a ploughmans supper, apple muffins and entertainment. Members should book tickets with Bill Bartlett 01749 343091
Rich’s Cider Farm Charity Wassail – 14 January 2012 at 7.30pm
At Mill Farm, Watchfield, Highbridge, Somerset, TA9 4RD. Come and join the Scrumpy & Western band the Mangledwurzels to serenade the orchards of Rich’s Cider Farm with hot mulled cider and a pig roast. Run in association with the Burnham-on-Sea Rotary Club. All profits go to charity. Tickets £9.50 available from Rich’s Cider Shop. 01278 783651 jan@richscider.co.uk
Somerset Rural Life Museum Wassail – 14 January 2012 at 7.30pm
At Abbey Farm, Chilkwell Street, Glastonbury BA6 8DB. There will be music from Rapscallion, barn dance, family activities and seasonal refreshments. Tickets £8 for adults, £5 for children. Pre-booking is necessary. 01458 831197 heritagelearning@somerset.gov.uk
Kilmersdon Wassail – 21 January 2012 at 12.00 noon
At Kilmersdon Village Hall, Radstock, Bath BA3 5TD. Ploughman’s lunches will be available and the 2012 Wassail Queen will be crowned at approximately 1.15pm. The Village Band will be in attendance and the Cam Valley Morrismen. This will be followed by a procession to the Community Orchard where the ceremony will take place and then on to the Old School House for tea and apple cake. The event is FREE apart form buying a ploughman’s lunch if you want to..
For further information contact Martin Horler 01761 437372
Wassailing is an old custom that takes place on Old Twelfth Night (17 January) 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. More information on Wassailing at Wikipedia.
We’d love to add more, do you know of any? Let us know and we’ll add it to these listings.
I got this from an award winning Morris Dance team at the Bath and West Show. I hope it brings you much success and bountiful crops of apples in the forthcoming season.
Happy apples and happy cider drinkers. Perfect!
Wassailing is so ancient that putting a date on when it began has been lost in time.
Wassailing however has given birth to other customs such as carol singing, and wishing others good health when drinking.
The main purpose of wassailing is to perform a ceremony to protect the trees from evil and to make them bear a plentiful fruit crop in the coming year. The event involves lots of cider, singing, dancing and celebrating trees in orchards on the 12th night.
How to wassail your apple trees
The assembled company surround a tree and toasted bread, soaked in cider, is placed in the branches of the tree (supposedly for the robins). Cider is then poured into the roots of the tree.
Everyone sings to the tree:
Old apple tree we wassail thee and hoping thou wilt bear
For the Lord doth know where we may be ‘til apples another year
For to bloom well and to bear well so merry let us be
Let everyone take up their cup and drink to the old apple tree
Then everyone calls out to the tree:
Old apple tree we wassail thee and hoping thou wilt bear
Hatfuls, capfuls, three bushel bagfuls and a little heap under the stairs
Hip hi hooray!
Then a great noise is made, customarily with shotguns being fired through the branches of the tree. The wassail ceremony is very simple and short but feel free to add your own variations.
There’s a great seasonal recipe for making Mulled Cider recipe ideal for your wassail here.
More information on what happens at a Cider Wassail on the Daily Telegraph site, and at the National Association of Cider Makers.
Visit our events page for Cider events near you.
