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What is Wassailing?

The word “wassail” comes from Middle English, “waes hael”, meaning to your health. The phrase, dates back to pre-Norman times and the response should be “drinc hael” which I think is pretty self-explanatory?

Wassailing was originally associated with ‘waking’ the apple and other fruit trees, and is still a tradition amongst apple orchard plantations around the world who swear by the tradition.

Like the origins of Trick or Treat, the poor were always hoping to scrounge some of the better food and drink in the homes of the wealthy, so after waking up the fruit trees of the gentry, they would expect to be welcomed and paid for their labours. In particular, there would be a large bowl called the wassail bowl, usually filled with a mulled cider or beer known as Lambs Wool. This would be portioned out to the Wassailers along with special treats such as figgy pudding.

What is Lambs wool?

It is the traditional drink at Christmastide long before we were convinced by the Germans that it was Mulled Wine. We are not a wine country, we are a cider and beer country and for many many centuries, the drink of choice was Lambs Wool.

Is Wassailing a precursor to Carolling?

Yes. Eventually, especially after the church has begun to reshape many pagan traditions, wassailing turned to carol singing at the doorways. However carols originated through another ancient pagan tradition, circle dances such as though celebrated on May Day. Generally these would have choruses or responses from the group, while the verses would be sung by the leader. Some of these were about Christmas, and eventually these few Christmas Carols became a locked in association that every carol was a Christmas Carol.

What is your wassailing like?

We try to recreate the lost traditions that were such a major part of our ancestors’ world, and by doing this in Geddington, we are cerebrating them in the exact places that our families and even the Kings of England would have done so.

We keep both the carolling and apple waking up traditions, beginning with actual ancient carols that would have been sung by the people of Geddington of old. We wake up a few young apple trees while explaining the methods used through the centuries while drinking plenty of hot Lambswool from the Wassail Bowl and practice the groups favourite carol chosen from a list of pre-Victorian but still familiar carols. Then, warmed and rehearsed, we take our show on the road through the medieval streets of Geddington to spread Christmas Cheer. At pre-determined homes, we perform at least one classic Christmas Carol, and after a chorus of We Wish you A Merry Christmas, as was done long ago, we share lambswool and receive figgy puddings, (or mince pies) from the hosts. We close by waking a last ancient heritage apple tree in the traditional manner with toast and pouring portions of the lambswool on its roots, and a final celebratory drink and song.

Upcoming Talks

Kam has been asked to speak to the Gretton Local History Society on Jan 30th at 7:30pm

In 1607, thousands gathered across the shires, to protest the seizure and enclosure by the large landowners of, up till then,

common lands. In June, a thousand protesters, gathered in Newton, Northamptonshire, to tear down hedges and fill ditches.

 

This would become the last great Peasants Revolt in England. Men, woman, and children were fired upon and upwards of 50 purported leaders

were drawn and quartered. Lecturer Kam Caddell will challenge many of the myths of this event while bringing this

terrible tragedy to life.

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Tours and Walks​​

We cater for one person up to much larger groups.

We are well acquainted with the needs of associations and clubs, and regularly schedule events 6 months or a year in advance, 

as well as within 24 hours for a simple walk or tour.

​Contact us at toursbykam@gmail.com or use the contact buttons throughout the site.

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From January 8 on, we are usually at the Church from Noon until 2PM doing our regular tours of the building

and discussing new revelations about the Eleanor Crosses.

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     Friday, 6th of February starting at 11:am, we will taking a local walking group around the village and the church

 

Updates

Many thanks to all who joined us and all of the village for making this year's Ghost Walks such a success.

Though once again we had to turn people away once we hit our 20 person maximum,

we nevertheless had 140 bookings and somehow missed most of the usual October rains! 

Thanks also to BBC Northampton and Annabel Amos for hosting me once again.

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Upcoming Podcasts

Our episode with author Alice Loxton on the U.S. podcast Constant Wonder will be aired in mid-January,

though they have released a teaser which can be found here.

https://www.instagram.com/reels/DQfHrpbiTHV/

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