AN ancient mid-winter customer welcomed the new year in Knutsford.
Crosstown Community Orchard hosted their third wassail on Saturday to ensure a good harvest for 2024.
As dusk fell, residents joined musicians and dancers to celebrate wassail, derived from the old Norse ‘waes hail’ meaning ‘good health’.
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The festivities culminated with toasting the orchard trees to encourage them to be fruitful for the year ahead.
Orchards are traditional blessed as good spirits are awakened and bad spirits are driven out.
The local Ringeye Morris team kicked off the party with a selection of dances.
A brief rain shower failed to dampen the sprits of the Thelwall Morris as they performed their mummers play.
Historian Mike Gibson, who calls himself a ‘poetician’ recited some orchard-themed poems.
The gifted musician also played some old tunes.
Deputy mayor Cllr Colin Banks judged the wassail hat contest and toasted an apple tree with cider whilst reciting a verse.
Robin, of the Ringeye Morris, performed some traditional tunes and led the final community singing of the Wassail song.
Knutsford Hosts served food and drink, including home baked ginger bread, biscuits and fresh vegetable soup.
Sister Barista provided alternative refreshments.
Crosstown Community Orchard on Mobberley Road is Knutsford’s first community orchard.
Volunteers have planted 38 fruit trees, including apples, pear, cherry, plum, greengage and quince.
Fruit beds host strawberry, blueberry, currant, gooseberry and raspberry plants alongside jostaberry, a blackcurrant and gooseberry hybrid, and rhubarb.
A selection of wild harvest shrubs include elderberry, hazelnut and crab apple.
It is a charity run by a group of trustees.
For more details visit crosstowncommunityorchard.org.uk
Monthly volunteering days are held on the last Sunday of each month between 10am and 12 noon.
Anyone is welcome to come along and lend a hand in keeping the orchard well maintained and improved.
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