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I (Laura) am from Somerset and apple tree Wassailing is fairly common. The general jist is villagers visit orchards in cider producing regions of England reciting and singing to trees as well as make a good lot of noise and throwing cider on them to wake the trees up and scare off evil spirits. There is always cider involved - lots of cider! Well, this weekend (20th January) our village pub 'The Sweffling White Horse' (walking distance from our cosy holiday cottages) hosted the Old Glory Molly for 'A village Wassail'. Molly dancing is an East Anglian version of Morris Dancing. Wassail means to “be in good health”. Our village Wassail was a blend of Molly Dancings main day of the year 'Plough Monday' and an Apple tree blessing. moonlit Dancing, candles , Fire works.... |
| 'Plough Monday' is the first Monday after Epiphany and was used by Molly dancers to fill the gap between Christmas and the start of the Arable season. The plough boys would tour around the village and dance for money . Just like trick or treat. If anyone refused they would do something mean like plough a furrow across the refusors lawn. The same person they could well be asking for employment ready for the arable season start in the spring. This is why the dancers try to hide their identity by sooting up their faces and dressing up in 'Sunday best' (and one Dressing up as a Molly). After a procession through the village by torch light the Old Glory Molly danced to drums and recorders in the pub car park. (Plough Monday Village blessing part) The “broom-man” then led the band and Molly dancers up the pub garden to the apple tree,. Here everyone banged and shouted (and let of an explosive bang!). Then the Caller sung 'Here We Come A-Wassailing' whilst hot spiced apple juice was handed out and a toast was made. (Apple tree Blessing Part) Have a look at the Photos below Here are the youtube links for the Dancing------- Singing 'Here we go a Wassailing' ------------ Banging and shouting/explosion |  A traditional wassail in our village pub near our rural Suffolk holiday cottages |
Whos Who in the photos
From my photos you can sort of make out (written from Old Glory Molly's website as I was pretty clueless!)
- A molly (A man dressed in women’s clothing. Old Glory molly explain there is always one; sometimes the whole team - as a form of disguise and to escape arrest, as women didn't get arrested)
- A lord in posher clothing to accompany the Lady / Molly in leading the dances
- the caller
- the “box-man” carrying a collecting box,
- the “broom-man”, who clears the way for the dancers,
- A “whiffler”, whose job it is to marshal the dancers.
Every one dancing / playing had black faces used as disguises they weren't recognized when they demanded money off their employers.
- A molly (A man dressed in women’s clothing. Old Glory molly explain there is always one; sometimes the whole team - as a form of disguise and to escape arrest, as women didn't get arrested)
- A lord in posher clothing to accompany the Lady / Molly in leading the dances
- the caller
- the “box-man” carrying a collecting box,
- the “broom-man”, who clears the way for the dancers,
- A “whiffler”, whose job it is to marshal the dancers.
Every one dancing / playing had black faces used as disguises they weren't recognized when they demanded money off their employers.
The trick or treat type Wassailing....
The other type of Wassailing is where the Molly Dancers evolved from. Broadly people out of work or peasants went knocking on doors asking for money in exchange for good luck, a sort of recipient-initiated charitable giving, rather than begging. They sung 'Here we go a Wassailing' and would be given Money, food or drink in exchange for their blessing and goodwill. If the householder refused, he was usually cursed, or his house/garden was vandalized.
The song itself evolved in to 'We wish you a Merry Christmas' .
The song itself evolved in to 'We wish you a Merry Christmas' .
About the authors
We are Andrew and Laura. We are the third generation to own Sweffling Hall Farm. We left our jobs in 2007 and moved to Suffolk to get back to rural life and to make it our new family home. By 2009 we had converted the cart shed in to two self-catering holiday cottages to run alongside the working farm.
We wanted to create a holiday where guests could get away from city life and come to relax with family or friends surrounded by nature. Not just for rural living but to be surrounded by our beautiful British landscape on a working farm in a cosy cottage for a long chilled out weekend just like the good old days.
Categories
All Days Out Ideas Local Beach Microadventure New Year Sweffling White Horse Traditions Village Life Village Pub
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