THE ancient custom of wassailing will come alive in Avebury this weekend during a special ceremony staged by villagers, the parish church and the National Trust,

On Saturday, wassailers will come together to bring to life the ancient folk customs of wassailing the village fruit trees, blessing the farmers plough and re-enacting the nineteenth century Plough Mummers plays.

2018 marks the fourth anniversary of the village coming together to mark the traditional start of the agricultural year and blessing the villages’ orchards.

Traditionally the wassail was celebrated on twelfth night, dating back to before 1066. There are many versions of wassailing, however most involve songs, loud noises to scare away any evil spirits and cider to bless the apple trees, ensuring a fruitful harvest.

Gordon Rimes will be the master of ceremonies, leading a band of “Jolly Boys” from orchard to orchard, encouraging everyone to join in. Singing will be aided with gusto by children with pots, pans and biscuit tins and drummers.

The festivities included a stop at the Manor House, where the “lord of the manor” will greet the crowds with bowls of mulled cider and apple cake. In the Old Farmyard the new Avebury wassail bowl, carved from white maple, will be passed around while the ‘Jolly Boys’ perform the Ninetieth Century Claypole Plough Jags Play. The play was first recorded in the nineteenth Century and was later adopted by the Ragged Heroes, the official Lacock Mummers. Gordon Rimes further adopted the play to include fragments of the original Avebury Mummers play from the nineteenth century.

The beginning of the agricultural year was traditionally celebrated on the first Monday after twelfth night, known as Plough Monday. References to Plough Monday date back to the 15th Century and the day before was known as Plough Sunday. In a moving ceremony the Reverend Maria Shepherdson will bless the plough, invite everyone to dress it with greenery and good wishes before it is presented to the villages’ local farming community represented by Judy and Tony Farthing and others. After which the Plough will be processed to St James, Avebury, in preparation for the Plough service on Sunday 14th January at 1030am. This ancient festival service is an opportunity for all farmers, gardeners and allotment keepers to bring tools, seeds and bulbs for blessing ready for the spring planting season. All are welcome, from all faiths, to participate in this ancient liturgy and mark the beginning of the planting season and our hopes for a fruitful harvest in due course.

Eva Stuetzenberger, visitor engagement and enterprises manager for the National Trust at Avebury said: “This is a wonderful opportunity to come together with the local community to celebrate the turning year through this ancient tradition; it is an occasion to reflect and be grateful for all the wonderful fruits that nature will be producing throughout the coming year. A slice of freshly baked apple cake and a cup of hot mulled cider on the day will be a welcome reminder of this.”

The star of the show will be the “Oss”, Spanker who has his own Facebook page.

Over the last years, the Wassail has raised over £450, which has helped the village orchard group plant and maintain new fruit trees on the sportsfield and plant new hedges.

Rev Maria Shepherdson, Rector of the Upper Kennet Benefice, said: “May our hearts be joined as one may our hearts in union be- so goes the old song. The wassail brings together all parts of our community, linking our ancestor’s past to the folk of the present. This opportunity reminds us of the gift of creation, our shared purpose in caring for it and enables all faiths to bless together the farmers and growers, the seeds, tools and the land and one another - not in solemnity but in glorious spirit-filled joy – Wassail and Amen.”

Gordon Rimes, master of ceremony and Pagan Priest, said: “The wheel of the year has turned and our communities now look to renewal. So it will be nice to join them in the old tradition of Wassailing. Once again the ‘Oss’ and the ‘Jolly Boys and Girls’ will raise the Wassail bowl and toast the land and fruit trees. As we all join in a concerted effort to drive off bad spirits and to bless the land for a good harvest.”

The wassail begins at 1pm from the top of High Street by the Red Lion.