24th ANNUAL WASSAIL FESTIVAL
Join us as we celebrate in “Wassailing”
WASSAIL
Here at Ostlers Cider Mill we take pride in celebrating Wassailing every January. We have local Morris Men, a good band who keeps us dancing all night, and of course plenty of cider! Our Wassail is held in the orchard here in North Devon; many locals and friends attend, we welcome everyone to come along, to enjoy and celebrate the apple trees!
Wassailing refers to drinking (and singing) the health of trees in the hopes that they might better thrive. The purpose of wassailing is to awake the cider apple trees and to scare away evil spirits to ensure a good harvest of fruit in the autumn.
An old rhyme goes:
Wassaile the trees, that they may beare
You many a Plum and many a Peare:
For more or lesse fruits they will bring,
As you do give them Wassailing.
