A local wassail to wake the trees

You may have noticed a poster on the noticeboards about Sunday's "wassail" conducted by the Friends of Midsummer Common. Susan Shay was intrigued to discover more and has shared a few photos with us.

"Distinctly British, this particular pagan tradition of seasonal awareness took place right on our doorstep, conveniently located in the little orchard near Riverside," Susan reported. "The purpose of the event, as I was informed by the organizers, was to wake up the trees with merriment, dancing, song, as well as the banging of pots, and to present offerings of apple juice and bread to the trees to ensure a good harvest. The crowd was joyful, lively, and exceptionally friendly. I was curious about the entire event, and how it had come about. No one present could tell me if these traditions were continuously practiced since they were created in the 13th century, or if they had emerged in contemporary times and had been updated to appeal to a modern community. Nonetheless, it didn't matter, since the attendees felt it enhanced the sense of community around Midsummer Common, and celebrated tradition, earth's bounty and spring."

Thank you for sharing details of this lovely local tradition, Susan. And if anyone knows anything about its history, please let us know in the comments.