Yelvertoft Wassail - Sunday 20th January 2019
Two Wassails in a week
In the winter months it is rare to see a Morris Dancer outdoors but Harborough's local side Braybrooke Morris Dancers have been out twice in 8 days , on 13th January 2019 at Brandon Marshes near Coventry and on 20th nearer to home at Yelvertoft . Years past Yelvertoft had it's own Morris side which unfortunately ceased to exist but the Organisers, Yelvertainment and Yelvertoft Pocket Park, thought of the Braybrooke side who were happy to oblige.
Wassailing is an ancient 'country' custom carried out in Orchards to persuade the apple trees to produce a bumper crop of apples for cider making. It involves sing and reciting poetry to the trees,dancing round them, banging the ground or making a loud noise with saucepan lids, dustbin lids (if you can find metal ones), and drums to drive away evil presences and finally decorating the trees with pieces of toast soaked in cider to attract bugs which will help pollinate the trees. At the end of this and a couple of songs the 'audience' processed back to the village pub for refreshment including more of Peter's wonderful Christmas cake - Thanks Peter!!
In the winter months it is rare to see a Morris Dancer outdoors but Harborough's local side Braybrooke Morris Dancers have been out twice in 8 days , on 13th January 2019 at Brandon Marshes near Coventry and on 20th nearer to home at Yelvertoft . Years past Yelvertoft had it's own Morris side which unfortunately ceased to exist but the Organisers, Yelvertainment and Yelvertoft Pocket Park, thought of the Braybrooke side who were happy to oblige.
Wassailing is an ancient 'country' custom carried out in Orchards to persuade the apple trees to produce a bumper crop of apples for cider making. It involves sing and reciting poetry to the trees,dancing round them, banging the ground or making a loud noise with saucepan lids, dustbin lids (if you can find metal ones), and drums to drive away evil presences and finally decorating the trees with pieces of toast soaked in cider to attract bugs which will help pollinate the trees. At the end of this and a couple of songs the 'audience' processed back to the village pub for refreshment including more of Peter's wonderful Christmas cake - Thanks Peter!!