Saturday January 15th 2005 - The Plough at Upper Dicker - 7.30pm till late

History | Wassail 2005 | Wassail Song | Wassail Chant | Wassail Photos

Wassailing is an ancient traditional winter custom which may well date from pre-Christian times. The ceremony involves a form of sympathetic magic in which the apple tree receives a libation of cider punch in order to encourage a good fruit crop later in the year. Firecrackers and/or guns are often used to scare away evil spirits and to awaken the tree from its winter slumber.

The word Wassail is derived from the Saxon greeting ‘Waes Hal’, meaning literally, ‘good health’. The earliest written record of wassailing, or ‘howling’ as it was sometimes referred to in Sussex was at Horsted Keynes in 1670, where the rector recorded giving the ‘howling boys’ 6d on 26th December.

Our Wassail this year began with dancing and drumming from Hunters Moon Morris and their guests in front of the pub, followed by the ceremony in the garden. Guests this year included:

• Wolf's Head and Vixen Morris - website
• Wild Hunt Bedlam Morris - website
• Mythago - website
• Pentacle Drummers
• Folk Musicians and Singers

Our apple tree suitably honoured, we retired to the welcoming bar where the evening continued with much traditional singing and music making.

Hunters Moon would like to thank Glen and Helen for their hospitality in allowing us to stage this event at their splendidly well appointed hostelry. Map

For more information about Hunters Moon please telephone 01323 735364

Wassail Song

Now Christmas is comen, and New Year begin
Pray open your doors, And let us come in.
With our wassail, wassail, wassail,
And joy come with our jolly wassail.

This ancient house we will kindly salute
It is an old custom you need not dispute.
With our wassail, wassail, wassail,
And joy come with our jolly wassail.

We hope that your apple trees will prosper and bear
And bring forth good cider when we come next year.
With our wassail, wassail, wassail,
And joy come with our jolly wassail.

We hope that your barley will prosper and grow
That you may have plenty and some to bestow.
With our wassail, wassail, wassail,
And joy come with our jolly wassail.

Good Mistress and Master how can you forbear
Come fill up our bowl with cider or beer.
With our wassail, wassail, wassail,
And joy come with our jolly wassail.

The Wassail Chant

Oh apple tree we honour thee
In hope that you will bear
The blessed fruit of Avalon
At harvest time each year.

Each golden apple you bring forth
A gift to Aphrodite
Has at its heart a pentacle,
The symbol of her mystery.

Your blossom heralds Springtime
Your leaf brings Summer shade.
Let Samhain’s* harvest cup be filled
With cider freshly made.

When Winter’s cold envelops you
In wind and rain and hail
Then we’ll return each year to bring
Our grateful thanks WASSAIL!

*Samhain, an old word for Halloween
is pronounced sow-ayne