Wassailing ceremony held to mark 12th Night in Lesbury

Wassailing Queen (Gemma) Lord of Misrule (Steve).

Wassailing sits low down on the list of essential cultivational approaches to modern day fruit growing, perhaps because there’s no chemical or scientific basis seen in the singing, poetry reading, music, dancing and general noise-making that can accompany it.

However, I do value tradition and can identify positive elements in this one, so happily joined villagers and friends at The Lesbury Community Orchard on Sunday, January 5 with a favourite line from Hamlet Act 1 Scene 5 in mind. “There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”

This is one element of the Christmas period that is often overlooked because it comes on the twelfth day when we are in process of dismantling the tree, decorations and all. Accepting that it was originally a pagan festival and considering the leafless trees in midwinter, anything that aids their recovery and return to a hale and hearty state of crop production is worth trying.

The village Community Orchard was established by volunteers in 2022, families involved in the planting ensuring that youngsters could identify with the project.

Fast forward two years and the brilliant volunteers responsible for Lesbury Community Shop, who organise such events, and are part funded by the government through the North-East Combined Authority, decided that we should have our first Wassail.

So, at 6pm in the dark, cold, and pouring rain of Twelfth Night, a remarkable crowd of brave souls descended on the orchard with torches and umbrellas, the majority dressed in plant greenery for the occasion. We sang Wassailing songs, banged drums, pots and pans, rang bells, all to drive bad spirits from the trees. The Lord of Misrule (Steve) stepped forward and crowned the Wassailing Queen (Gemma). They then addressed the trees, reading poems in turn and visiting each one to awaken the good spirits. Cider sprinkled near the roots and slices of toast soaked in the same were attached to branches before leaving the scene – this for the robins who take over as guardians in our absence.

What effect does this ceremony have on future fruit production? Who can say with any surety? It certainly brings communities together and there’s only one way to round off such an exciting event. Head to the nearby Coach Inn for welcome warmth and the pie, peas and cider we`d all booked earlier!