Wassail !

What a fantastic Wassail on Saturday 5 January; we were amazed as over 500 revellers joined in.  It can be said that now all the evil spirits in the orchards have been driven away with shotgun fire, the trees have been woken up from their winter slumbers by drumming, singing and dancing and the good spirits of the trees have been fed with cider and toast we can be sure that the harvest will be wonderful this year! 

We crowned a king and a queen at one of the orchards by giving special cake to the girls and boys and whoever found the hidden bean was royalty for the day. Their royal duties included placing mistletoe in the branches to attract the birds.

The procession set off from the Red Lion for the community orchard where the children were given hazel twigs to beat the trees to wake them up and buckets and sticks to beat and make lots of noise.

As ever the merry band of villagers and visitors was lead by the fabulous Armallegan Morris who danced and sang at each orchard and when it got dusk danced their spectacular fire dance at the last orchard.

The celebrations were topped off with a firework display, traditional lambswool and more music and dancing at the village hall.

photo: Fiona Wilson

photo: Karen Taylor

photo: Andrew Trythall

photo: Andrew Trythall

photo: Andrew Trythall

photo: Andrew Trythall

photo: Karen Taylor