How it all began in Ratby

 

In the Autumn of 2001 a few Ratby Orchard members went down to Much Marcle in Herefordshire to visit an Apple Day event. ​As part of the proceedings a small apple tree was 'wassailed' in the gardens of a local pub. We got talking to the man who acted as master of ceremonies, or 'butler' for the wassail, a Mr Peter Symonds of Coleford in the Forest of Dean. He had started a campaign group to revive wassailing. We were fired with enthusiasm. Peter gave us a booklet about how to conduct a Wassail, and the name of a wood turner who could make us a traditional bowl.

 

We ordered the bowl. It was to be of traditional style, made of sycamore and with a special lip which avoids spilling. It would be decorated with ribbons in the traditional way. And on the Saturday between Twelfth Night and Plough Monday 2002 we held our first Wassail.

 

Wassailing is a very old tradition, full of symbolism in the parishes in which it took place. It marked the beginning of a new, and hopefully successful agricultural year. Anglo Saxons used 'Waes hal!' as an everyday greeting. 'Waes' was a form of the verb to be, related to modern 'was.' 'hal' is the ancestor to modern words 'whole' and 'hale.' Thus, 'Wassail' means 'be healthy.'

There are many different Wassail traditions around the country, with variations of date according to the calendar used. We chose to follow in the footsteps of Peter Symonds and the Wassail in Gloucestershire.

 

Ratby Wassail

We cannot hope to emulate some of the more elaborate Wassail events, which might include Shire Horses and Morris Dancers, but each year we get a little better at our simpler version.

We meet up at The Railway, where long suffering customers are treated to our Wassail song practice. After this 'warm up' we all process noisily to the orchard, carrying torches and lanterns and making as much noise as possible with instruments, saucepans, tins - anything that we can make a riotous sound with.

Once at the Orchard we all circle our chosen tree 3 times in a clockwise direction, singing the Wassail Song.

For many years members of Leicester Orphean Orchestra acccompanied us. (see them gathered outside The Railway in the photo to the left.) Recently we have been joined by players from Ratby Co-operative Band. Here are some of them pictured warming us up in The Railway, just below left.

Click on this button for a link to the Ratby Band website.

 

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The' Butler,' or MC for the event then proposes a toast to the tree;

 

'Here's to thee, old apple tree!

That blooms well

That bears well

Hats full, caps full,

Bushel, bushel, sacks full,

And all under one tree.'

 

The Butler then pours cider on the roots of the tree, and 3 cheers are given. He then invites the women to place pieces of toast in the trees. (This is apparently the origin of 'toasting.')

Men are invited to pop their party poppers or fire popguns. (A modern version of the traditional shotguns which would have been fired by farmers.)

The Wassail Bowl, filled with mulled cider (lamb's wool) is passed around for all to drink and give the wassail toast. We then return to The Railway where the Landlady is given the traditional presentation of evergreens, nuts and a lighted candle, which symbolise long life, fertility and the love she brings to her customers. See photo on the left.

 

Click on                       to read The Gloucestershire Wassail

 

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Click on                      to find a recipe for Lamb's Wool.

 

 

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