Another Berwick version of ancient wassail ceremony to encourage a good crop

This was the second year that the Friends of Castle Parks invited people to join them to place toast in the branches and sprinkle cider on the roots of the selected wassail tree, as well as clatter pans, sing songs and chant verses.

In the ancient tradition, the ceremony is supposed to banish evil spirits, wake trees from their winter sleep, call in the guardians of the orchard – robins – and encourage an abundant crop in the autumn.

Chair of the Friends, Jackie Kaines Lang, said: “Wassail ceremonies are seeing a resurgence around the country and we thought, ‘why not in Berwick?’

“This year, our festivities definitely built on last year’s foundations. One of the group made fantastic willow and ivy headdresses for everyone, others led us in wassail songs with recorder accompaniment and there was cake and nibbles to share.”

‘Wassail’ or ‘waes hael’ has its roots in Middle English and means ‘good health’. Berwick’s wassail also included an adapted poem and a toast of local mulled cider donated by Ramparts-based Monkey House Cider.

The Berwick Wassail Poem (adapted from the traditional by Jackie Kaines Lang):

Here we come a wassailing

Among the trees so bare.

Here we come a wandering

In Berwick’s orchard fair.

We call for leaves of verdant green

And fruit abundant like a dream.

Now love and joy to all those here

Be strong of health and good of cheer.

Let’s pour the cider, place the bread

And God bless Berwick this year ahead.

The community orchard was planted by the Friends in December 2020 with the trees financed from Berwick North county councillor Catherine Seymour’s budget allocation.

Jackie added: “As well as being a place of beauty and tranquillity, the idea of the community orchard is for local people to help themselves to a few apples when the time comes.

“Hopefully, this year will be a bumper crop after the wassail!”

Find out more about outdoor events in the local parks at www.friendsofcastleparks.org