It seems that we in Littlehempston are not the only ones enjoying a revival of an old custom – the Wassail. Apparently there’s a resurgence going on all over the country.
So on January 29th, the good folk of Littlehempston, and a few from further afield, gathered to make merry, celebrating last year’s harvest of apples in the form of cider and looking forward to the coming year’s crop.
Littlehempston came together as a community and bought the land on which lies the Community Orchard in 2018. Since then they have held three Wassail events, which begin with a gathering together to eat apple cake, toffee apples and drink cider and mulled apple juice. They are joined by the Dartington Morris Men who treat everyone to their energetic and joyful dancing. Then the Littlehempston choir entertain everyone with their singing.
When the light starts to fade, an entrancing Green Man appears and brings an atmosphere of mystery and magic to the scene.
Then everyone lights up their lanterns and making a raucous noise, whooping and stomping and banging pots and pans with wooden spoons (to frighten away any evil spirits) – they process along the road through the village to the Community Orchard.
By then it is fully dark and a hushed atmosphere pervades the scene. The Green Man (this year Henry Everett) with the help of the newly crowned queen of the Wassail (this year we had two queens, Darcy and Nieve) pours cider into a crust of bread and stuffs it into one of the apple trees. Then the queen(s) pours cider all around the tree onto its roots. This is to nourish the tree with last year’s harvest and wish it well for the next time. The community then sings our very own Littlehempston wassail song to the tree with more singing from our choir.
The grand finale is for everyone to troop happily back through the village to the Tally Ho for Sausages and Mash and apple sauce. And more cider!
Thank you to all for a wonderful evening – and may there be many more!
Anna Ash, Lot 7 Trustees