The evil spirits in Bratton’s Reeve’s Orchard were given a very thorough scare last month when over 200 people gathered to bang pots and pans, ring bells and blow hunting horns in the village’s wassailing event.
The wassailing event, organised by Dan and Anya Loughran, was about more than just making a lot of noise, however, because the gathering was accompanied by local folk musicians who provided both the background music to the downing of cider punch (made from the apples from Bratton’s orchard) and apple cake made by local villagers. There was also Morris dancing from Dan’s old group, who travelled from Bristol to take part in the event.
“Dan and Anya’s children were the wassail king and queen and, being only tiny, were able to sit on the orchard’s biggest and oldest tree,” said orchard volunteer Karen Lewis-Jones. “Their heads encircled by crowns of twigs and moss, while it was serenaded with songs before cider was poured around its roots.”
“The purpose of wassailing is to awake the apple trees and to scare away evil spirits, ensuring a good harvest,” explained Karen. “They created such a terrifying cacophony of dissonant sounds that it would be a very deaf or dauntless and dastardly spirit which remained. Toast is hung from the branches of trees because it is said to attract robins, which are good spirits and help the trees grow. Perhaps, however, all birds will be delighted by the unexpected gift of bread hanging so conveniently from the branches!”
This year, there was an additional ceremony when two local craftsmen donated wassailing bowls to the community orchard. Bryan Parkinson turned a goblet-shaped bowl in idigbo, while Barry Martin turned an open bowl out of tulip wood. These were filled with cider and ceremoniously presented to the Parish Council chairman, Keith Rayward, and to the leader of the orchard maintenance volunteers, Steve Crosby.
“Villagers responded, in traditional fashion, to Dan’s shout of ‘Was haell’ with ‘Drinc hael.’ The first phrase comes from Old Norse, meaning ‘be well and in good health,’ while the second means ‘drink and be healthy,’” Karen added.
“Bratton’s splendid village crier, Ray Davis, resplendent in his crier’s uniform, beautifully read an impressive wassailing poem written by villager Sue Kemp.”
The event concluded with the Morris dancing teams performing outside the Duke Inn.
Pictured: Wassailing bowls filled with cider being ceremoniously presented
Pictured: Local folk musicians, Anya Harvey-Loughran with the wassailing king and queen
