The Bratton community came together to ward off evil spirits, promote health and fortune for the coming year and wake the apple trees in the community orchard at a wassailing event last weekend.
The wassail is an ancient, pagan tradition which has been practised for centuries in the UK in order to encourage the spirits to ensure a good harvest of apples in the coming autumn. The Bratton wassail is organised by Dan and Anya Loughran at Reeves Orchard.
Villagers were joined by people from as far as Bristol and Salisbury for the event, which has now become an annual tradition.
“I wasn’t expecting such a large turn-out, given the weather, but it was great,” said Parish Council Chair, Keith Rayward.
Dan Loughran led the wassailing with villagers responding to his shout of “Waes hael”, meaning good health, with “Drinc hael”, from the Old Norse, meaning drink and be healthy.
Bratton’s village crier, Ray Davis, read the wassailing poem written by villager Sue Kemp and initiated the traditional chaotic clamour of shouting voices, banging pans and discordant musical instruments by firing his starting pistol several times.
Traditional wassailing songs were sung, as well as a new song, Wiltshire Wassail, written and performed by Naomi Styles.
Two of Dan and Anya’s children took the roles of Wassail King and Queen and sat on one of the oldest trees in the orchard, wearing their crowns of twigs and moss, while the tree was blessed and mulled cider was poured over its roots. Slices of toast soaked in cider were also hung on the trees.
The event concluded with Morris Dancing performed by Radstock Morris and Bounds of Selwood.
“We certainly had a good time, and I hope everyone else did too,” said Anya. “The best thing is you feel like you’ve had a good party and you’re still home by 6pm!”
