Wassail for the Community Orchard

Families are invited to welcome in the New Year by taking part in a tradition that dates back centuries at Daventry Country Park.

Visitors to the park will be able to help celebrate the community orchard by wassailing the trees to awaken them for the coming season on Saturday, January 9th 2010 at 11am.

The tradition of the wassail, which comes from the Anglo-Saxon meaning good health or to be fortunate, is said to protect the trees from evil spirits and makes sure they have plentiful fruit in the coming season.

So bring along your old pots and pans and meet at the visitors’ centre at 11am to take part in an event that will see traditional music and lively Morris dancing from The Adderbury Morris, who will also be performing an exciting Mummers play. 

There will be a musical procession to the orchard, where there will be a bonfire, and free hot mulled apple juice and cakes.

Youngsters will be hanging toast in the trees for the robins, pots and pans will be crashed together to wake the trees from their winter slumbers, and Daventry District Council’s Countryside Rangers will lead the traditional songs to awaken the orchard.

Dewi Morris, Senior Countryside Ranger, said: “This is a great way for the family to celebrate the New Year, joining in a lovely tradition outside in the countryside.

“After the Wassail, both our visitors and our orchard trees will be ready for whatever 2010 will bring.”