On the old Twelfth Night (17th January) a traditional ceremony known as a wassail takes place in villages and orchards across England. Wassailing tends to involve singing, dancing and hanging cider-soaked toast from trees. The purpose of these quirky festivities is to ensure a good apple harvest. Most of the events take place in the South West, but there are events taking place across the country.
Below are some of the wassails taking place this year…
Woods and Wassail
When: 15th January 2015, 10am – 5pm
Where: Lower Woods nature reserve, Wickwar, Gloucestershire GL9 1BY
£: Free but donations welcome. Not suitable for children under 10 years.
What is it?
As well as enjoying a traditional wassail, visitors can find out what it takes to manage the nature reserve, learn to coppice and find out about traditional woodland skills. The wassail will take place at dusk in the recently restored orchard which will be overseen by the traditional ‘Wassail Butler’.
More info: www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk
Colwall Wassailing
When: 17th January 2015, 6pm
Where: Meet at Colwall Stone, Herefordshire
£: Donation of £2 for adults
What is it?
Help raise money for the Colwall Community Orchard by joining in with their wassail. There will be a torch lit procession to the orchard so bring torches and lanterns to light your way. You are also encouraged to wear a silly hat, and bring pots, pans, spoons, whistles and horns in order to make a noise! There will be morris dancing, singing around the bonfire and mulled apple juice, cider and cakes.
More info: colwallorchardgroup.org/events/wassailing
The Pentacle Drummers (Photo: Hugh Wilton)
Pentacle Drummers Wassail
When: 17th January 2015, 6pm
Where: Stone Cross Nurseries, Pevensey, East Sussex
£: Free but a donation of £1 is recommended
What is it?
This is the third annual Pentacle Drummers Wassail. Enjoy an evening of ceremony, drumming, dancing and friendship as the Pentacle Drummers wassail in their very own orchard. The wassail will be a family friendly event with morris dancers, tribal dancers, a charity raffle and a bouncy castle.
More info: www.facebook.com/events and www.pentacledrummers.co.uk
Crook Morris Wassail Day
When: 17th January 2015, from 12.45pm
Where: Lyth Valley, Cumbria
£: Free
What is it?
This will be the 7th Crook Morris Wassail Day with the ceremony taking place at the damson orchard at The Row (LA8 8DD). Visitors are recommended to park near, but not at, The Lyth Valley Hotel for 12.45pm at the latest. A public footpath across from the hotel will take you to The Row (boots or wellies are advisable). After a short walk participants will arrive at The Barn (home of Mrs Pat Walker) for 1.15pm prompt, ready to gather outside the damson orchard, for the ceremony at 1.30pm. Everyone is then encouraged to make as much noise as possible as they approach the damson tree. After singing, damson beer is passed around and wassail cake is eaten. Pieces of toast are dunked in the beer and hung on the branches. Weather permitting, there is dancing before celebrations continue at the Hare & Hounds in Bowland Bridge.
More info: www.crookmorris.org.uk/wassailing
The Forty Hall Farm Orchard Wassail
When: 18th January 2015 at 1pm
Where: Forty Hall Farm Orchard, Enfield EN1 4RQ
£: Free
What is it?
Wrap up warm and head to the Forty Hall Farm Orchard for their annual wassailing ceremony to awaken the apple trees, scare away winter and bring good luck for the New Year. Visitors are welcome to help toast the good health of the trees, take part in the Wassail poem and help make lots of noise! Refreshments are provided and visitors should wear suitable footwear for the farm.
More info: www.fortyhallfarm.org.uk/events
Stoke Gabriel Wassail
When: 17th January 2015, from 4pm (main procession at 5.30pm)
Where: Stoke Gabriel Village Centre, Totnes, Devon
£: £2 for adults, £1 for children and under 4s go free
What is it?
An evening of tradition and merriment with entertainment including the ancient wassail ceremony in the orchard, folk music, wassail singers, morris dancers, mummers players, storytelling and children’s crafts.
More info: stoke-gabriel-primary.devon.sch.uk
Frieze Hill Community Orchard Wassail
When: 17th January 2015, 5pm – 7pm
Where: Frieze Hill Community Orchard, Taunton, Somerset
£: Free
What is it?
Head along to make a noise at the Frieze Hill Community Orchard Wassail. Bring bells, whistles, horns or drums, and remember to bring a torch and wrap up warm! There will be mulled cider and apple cake, plus a few fireworks to enjoy.
More info: www.communityorchard.org.uk
Midnight Apothecary Wassail
When: 17th January 2015, 6.30pm – 10pm
Where: Brunel Museum Rooftop Garden, Railway Avenue, London SE16 4LF
£: Tickets cost £5
What is it?
Gather around the fire for a spot of wassailing, aided by some cider-based concoctions. Process to the apple tree in the lower garden led by the Butler of the Ceremony, starring the Wassail Queen and a lot of live musicians. Bring lanterns or torches to read the songsheets. There will be delicious heartwarming cocktails from the Midnight Apothecary (cash bar) to keep the heart pumping and delicious hot food on sale from I Should Be Souvlaki. A descent into the vast underground Hobbit Hole for a short reading from Lord of the Rings is an optional part of the evening.
More info: www.facebook.com/MidnightApothecary
Sandford Wassail
When: 17th January 2015, 4pm – midnight
Where: Sandford Village, Devon
£: Tickets cost £3
What is it?
Wassail with music, mummers and morris men in Sandford village. There will also be live music, a lantern and torch craft workshop, and a cider bar.
More info: www.facebook.com/sandfordorchards