Time travellers, dust off your mugs and prepare to sing to the apple trees! If you’re looking for a quirky blend of pagan ritual, English countryside charm, and plenty of cider, head to the village of Carhampton in Somerset, where the ancient tradition of wassailing comes alive each January.
Carhampton’s Wassail is more than just a festive gathering; it’s a time-honoured ceremony designed to ensure a bountiful apple harvest for the year ahead. And who doesn’t love a good excuse to serenade a tree while sipping on a warm mulled beverage?
What Is Wassailing?
The word wassail comes from the Old English phrase waes hael, meaning “be well” or “be healthy.” Originally a toast exchanged at feasts, the term evolved into a midwinter tradition aimed at blessing apple orchards to encourage a fruitful harvest.
In Carhampton, the annual wassailing ceremony takes place in the local orchards, where revelers gather to sing, make noise, and generally create enough ruckus to wake the trees and scare off any malevolent spirits lurking in the branches. Think of it as a mix of a rustic New Year’s party and a pagan fruit-growing ritual—complete with cider.
Your Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Carhampton and Explore the Village
Nestled in the Somerset countryside, Carhampton is a charming village steeped in history. Spend your first day wandering its lanes and admiring its thatched cottages. Visit St. John the Baptist Church, a beautiful medieval building that reflects the region’s rich past.
Stop for lunch at a local pub, where you can sample Somerset specialities like ploughman’s lunch or cider-braised pork. Don’t forget to ask for a glass of local cider to whet your appetite for the main event.
Day 2: Wassail Night in the Orchard
As dusk falls, join the villagers in one of Carhampton’s orchards for the wassailing ceremony. The festivities typically begin with a communal gathering around a wassail king and queen, who lead the event.
With torches flickering and cider cups in hand, the crowd sings traditional wassailing songs to the trees. The most famous of these is:
Here’s to thee, old apple tree,
Whence thou mayst bud, and whence thou mayst blow,
And whence thou mayst bear apples enow!
Hats full, caps full,
Bushels, bushels, sacks full,
And my pockets full too! Hurrah!
The wassailers then pour cider around the base of the oldest or most important apple tree in the orchard as an offering to the spirits. Toasted bread soaked in cider is hung from the branches, a gift for the birds who symbolically represent those same spirits.
Finally, pots and pans are banged, horns are blown, and fireworks light the sky to chase away evil spirits. The ceremony is equal parts joyous and chaotic—a true countryside spectacle.
Why Carhampton?
Carhampton’s Wassail is one of the best-known and longest-running wassailing events in England. While wassailing was once widespread, many communities have let the tradition fade. Not Carhampton! Here, the villagers have kept the wassail alive, blending ancient customs with modern revelry.
It’s a testament to the area’s deep connection to its agricultural roots and its appreciation for the humble apple—a fruit that’s as integral to Somerset as cream teas and rolling hills.
Travel Tips for Wassail Visitors
- Bundle Up: January nights in Somerset can be frosty, so wear warm layers and waterproof boots.
- Bring an Instrument: If you’re musically inclined, a drum, tambourine, or even a saucepan will help you join in the noisemaking.
- Pace Yourself with the Cider: There’s plenty of it, and it’s strong—don’t overdo it before the singing starts!
What’s on the Menu?
Carhampton’s wassailing festivities are fuelled by hearty fare and, of course, cider. Look for:
- Hot Mulled Cider: Spiced and steaming, it’s the drink of the night.
- Cider Cake: A local favourite made with—you guessed it—cider.
- Pork Sausages: Perfectly paired with a mug of the orchard’s finest.
Fun Trivia About Wassailing
- Did you know? Wassailing predates Christianity, with its roots in pagan traditions of ensuring a good harvest.
- Odd but true: The idea of scaring off evil spirits with noise and fire predates modern fireworks by centuries. Early wassailers used gunfire and pots to achieve the same effect.
- Legacy: The wassail custom influenced carolling traditions, where groups would sing door to door in exchange for food or drink.
Want to Know More?
Books
- The Apple Source Book by Sue Clifford and Angela King.
- Pagan Britain by Ronald Hutton.
Articles
- “The Origins of Wassailing” in Folklore Studies Quarterly.
- “A Somerset Wassail: Carhampton’s Orchard Tradition” by the West Country Historical Society.
Web Resources
- Visit Somerset: www.visitsomerset.co.uk
- Carhampton Wassailing Association: www.carhamptonwassail.co.uk
The Final Word
Carhampton Wassailing is a charming reminder of Britain’s rural heritage, a tradition that celebrates the connection between people, land, and the natural rhythms of life. Whether you’re singing to trees, sipping mulled cider, or banging a pan to ward off unseen spirits, you’ll be immersed in a unique cultural experience that’s as heartwarming as it is entertaining.
So, grab your mug, practice your tree serenades, and join the festivities—Carhampton’s orchards are waiting to be wassailed!
Have you sung to an apple tree or raised a toast to an ancient tradition? Share your stories—we’ll toast your tales with a mug of cider and a slice of cider cake!
