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15th December 2019
Categories: Visitor News
If you’re not from a cider producing county, you’ll be forgiven for not known about wassailing, but if you’re a fan of cider, particularly that from Devon, you’ll want to get involved with the Wassail Festival which takes place every year around the county.
First off, what on earth is it?
Well, for those of us that live in the west county, Wassail is a way of life, but for anyone visiting, it can seem like a bit of a strange custom. The Wassail Festival is thought to date back to the Saxon times and it hasn’t changed much since then. In basic terms, Wassail Festivals are a way to encourage the county’s apple trees to grow well and produce amazing cider and if you happen to be a fan and in the county in January, it’s a great, fun event to get involved with.
Wassailing involves several customs which might seem a bit unusual to the average outsider, but they all make perfect sense. Firstly, a Wassail King and Queen are appointed to lead an assembled group around the nearby apple trees to bless the fruit. This blessing includes gathering around the biggest of the trees, soaking some toast in cider and putting it among the branches while those gathered rejoice. Then you have to make a lot of noise to frighten off any evil spirits that might be hanging around determined to destroy the coming year’s harvest. How this noise is made varies from banging pots and pans to firing a shot gun into the tree. Either way, it’s fun!
In Devon and the surrounding counties, this tradition is celebrated on Twelfth Night, which usually falls on the 5th or 6th January, but there are a number of festivals which attract tourists and take place a little later in the month – so make sure to keep your eyes peeled for what Wassailing events are taking place and join in!
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