ON SUNDAY, a new old event will take place in Wokingham’s refurbished town centre.
Members of OBJ Morris will be gathering to celebrate the ancient tradition of Wassail – in previous years they have gathered in pubs to mark the event, but they are coming to Market Place for this year’s ceremony.
The ceremony is traditionally held to wish the trees good health, to scare away evil spirits, and ensure an excellent harvest in the autumn and is usually held on the Sunday before Plough Monday, the day when everyone went back to work on the land after the Christmas festivities.
OBJ’s version will include Morris Dancing along with the ceremony.
It begins with slices of Wassail cake being offered out to the crowd.
Whoever finds ‘the bean’ baked inside their piece of cake becomes the Lord of Misrule.
Then a consort is chosen and together they preside as King and Queen over the Wassail ceremony. The crowd sing to their joy, health, love and peace, and toast the new monarchs with cider sipped from a Wassail Bowl made from a White Maple tree.
The crowd gather round an apple tree. The King and Queen bury a (RSPB toy) wren, the King of the birds, in the tree’s roots and then anoint the tree with cider and hang some in the branches.
People will then be invited to sing an ancient Wassail song and then shout, bang drums, pots and pans, making as much noise as possible to ensure all evil spirits have been frightened out of the trees.
Afterwards, again following tradition, the crowd then congregate outside the locked doors of the local inn and sing to be let in. The landlord unlocks the doors and welcomes everyone inside for refreshment, and to continue with the music, dancing and singing.
The event takes place in Market Place on Sunday from noon.
A spokesperson for OBJ Said: “We welcome you all to come along, and don’t forget to bring drums, pots, pans to make a lot of noise.”
