TRADITIONAL wassail night was alive and well in Porlock last Friday when around 60 people braved the rain to serenade the town’s community apple trees and encourage them to produce next season’s crops.

The event has been held in England since medieval times to ensure a good cider apple harvest the following year.

Friday saw visitors and locals in Porlock visiting three sites, singing, shouting ‘wassail’ and banging loudly to frighten away evil spirits – and consuming plenty of apple cake, cider and apple juice.

Frank O’Neill, manager of Porlock Visitor Centre, organised this year’s wassail together with a team of volunteers.

People gathered at the apple orchard behind the visitor centre, then at the community apple orchard on Porlock Hill, and in the garden of Porlock Museum, before enjoying singing and folk music in a local pub.

“It was a real community effort and we were very pleased with the turnout, people were in good spirits and enjoyed the rain - in spite of some slipping on the mud,” he said.

In good weather, numbers can reach to over 200 people but the turnout was good considering the conditions, he said.

The traditional ritual was explained by a wassail expert from Devon, Martyn Babb, who explained it was a pagan, medieval event to frighten away evil spirits, and he sang songs and recited poems to serenade the tree.

Wassail princess Tamra Bruce also poured cider round the base of the oldest tree and hung toast dipped in cider on it, to encourage the trees to produce crops.

“It’s all about serenading and feeding the trees and frightening away the evil spirits, and it was fun for visitors and locals,” said Frank.