HomeNewsPhotos: Hundreds attend Brent Knoll’s Westcroft Cider Farm wassailing ceremony

Photos: Hundreds attend Brent Knoll’s Westcroft Cider Farm wassailing ceremony

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Brent Knoll’s Westcroft Cider Farm attracted hundreds of spectators for its traditional wassailing event on Saturday.

A Flaming Torch Lit Procession hailed the start of the event, led by Master of Ceremonies John Page.

A traditional orchard ceremony with music and gun shots followed and burnt toast was placed in the tree, as tradition requests.

Local music acts Six Machine and Daft Folk entertained the crowds alongside belly dancers, The Mummers and Brent Knoll School.

The centuries-old Somerset wassailing ceremonies see good health wished on apple crops for the coming year.

Organiser John Harris said: “I’m delighted with how the event went – we had a superb turnout with over 500 people.”

“It’s wonderful to see this Somerset tradition of marking the old 12th night in the Gregorian calendar being maintained and growing each year.”

The wassail is celebrated each year around ‘Old Twelvey Night’ as it would have been before the introduction of the Gregorian Calendar in 1752.

This year’s event was recorded by a BBC Radio 4 production team, ready to be aired on an upcoming programme.

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