19 january 2009 | green man leads the wassail celebrations

The annual Wassail celebrations at Thatchers Cider in Somerset saw customers, suppliers and friends gather in the company’s orchards to encourage another bumper apple harvest this year. 

Wassailing is the ancient custom of promoting a good apple harvest – the word Wassail comes from the Anglo Saxon “Waes Hael” – meaning Be Healthy. Evil spirits are warded off from the orchards with shot guns, with onlookers banging pots and pans to help the process!  Meanwhile the good spirits are attracted with pieces of toast soaked in cider hung in the trees, and the traditional Wassail cup is used to pour cider over the roots of the apple trees. Singing, dancing and mulled cider complete the traditional celebrations.

In a dry run of this year’s celebrations, children and teachers from Sandford Primary School were also invited to visit the Thatchers orchards to learn more about the ancient traditions. The children had the chance to make as much noise as they liked with pots, pans and other instruments; they hung toast in the trees, and the Mendip Morrismen taught them some traditional dancing.
 
Martin Thatcher says, “Wassailing is a tradition that has played an important part in rural life for hundreds of years. Here at Thatchers, we like to use the Wassail as a time to celebrate the cider industry, and everyone and everything associated with it."

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Martin Thatcher, managing director, Tel: 01934 822862