Custom
The Marcle Wassail
Waes hael to the old tree. Wake up and bear.
See it clearly
- What's there
- Cider mill and orchards
- Legend from
- Traditional orchard custom
- Best time
- Saturday near 6 January
- Tone
- Light-hearted
Torches in the orchard, toast for the robins, and cider poured on the roots.
Wassailing is an old luck-bringing custom of the apple orchards; the name comes from the Old English toast 'waes hael', good health. At Much Marcle the Silurian Border Morrismen and Westons Cider hold a wassail on a Saturday near 6 January. The evening begins with dancing outside Westons, then a torchlit procession leads down the lane to the orchard. Around the central apple tree wassail songs are sung, Herefordshire Apostle fires are lit, children give toast to the robins, cider is poured for the trees and the Bush is burned. In 2026 it was on 10 January, raising money for St Michael's Hospice.