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Carhampton Apple Tree
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Carhampton Apple Tree
APPLE TREE CUSTOM Trees are toasted with mulled cider while singing a wassail song; cider-soaked toast is left for robins, and guns are fired to frighten evil spirits
Mary Evans Picture Library makes available wonderful images created for people to enjoy over the centuries
Media ID 619333
© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10089671
Accordian Apple Cider Custom Evil Fired Frighten Guns Offering Pagan Ruddy Rustic Singing Soaked Somerset Song Spirits Toast Toasted Villagers Wassail Carhampton January Mulled
EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative photograph captures the spirit of an age-old tradition taking place beneath the gnarled branches of a venerable apple tree in the quaint village of Carhampton, Somerset, England. The scene is set in the chill of a January evening in the 1940s, as villagers gather around the tree, each cradling a mug of mulled cider, their faces flushed with warmth and merriment. The air is thick with the sweet aroma of the spiced drink, mingling with the smoky scent of woodsmoke and gunpowder. As the accordion plays a lively tune, the villagers raise toasted slices of bread, soaked in the same cider, and sing a wassail song. This ancient custom, steeped in pagan traditions, is an offering to the tree spirits to ensure a bountiful harvest in the coming year. The toasted bread and mulled cider are left as a treat for the robins, believed to be the guardians of the orchards. The air is filled with the sound of laughter and camaraderie, but there is also an undercurrent of excitement and anticipation. For, as the final verse of the wassail song is sung, the villagers take aim and fire their guns into the air, a loud and startling gesture meant to frighten away evil spirits and ensure the tree's continued health and productivity. This photograph captures the essence of a bygone era, where tradition and community come together to celebrate the simple pleasures of rural life. The rustic scene, bathed in the warm glow of lantern light, is a testament to the enduring power of folklore and the human spirit.
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