Pictures by Ron HIll. ..Villagers and visitors joined Oast Farm owners Judith and James Roberts and Liz and Bob Smith along with staff for the second annual Wassailing at Oast Farm Buxted. on Sunday 22nd January 2017 at 12 noon. . .The annual old Englis
RESIDENTS sang to trees as part of an ancient custom to promote a good harvest.
Villagers and visitors gathered at Oast Farm in Buxted, near Uckfield, for the second annual wassailing.
The old English traditional toast to the farm orchards aims to ensure a good crop of apples for the coming autumn.
Wassail king and queens and children led the singing procession to the orchard for dancing around the apple trees.
The kings and queens were then lifted up into the boughs of the oldest tree, while the Reverend Peter Owen Jones, vicar of Firle, Glynde and Beddingham, blessed the cider apple trees to scare away evil spirits.
The tradition was first mentioned at Fordwich, Kent in 1585.
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