A Jolly Wassail and the Howlers (and not forgetting the Hoodeners!)

On By Mick CanningIn animal guising, culture, customs, Folk traditions, folklore, history, Hooden Horse, Hoodening, kent, Wassailing

Yesterday, we went Wassailing.

If you care to Google (other search engines are available) Wassailing, you will learn it traditionally takes place on the Twelfth Night (after Christmas), i.e. 5th January, and is a British custom. You will also discover that wassailing involves groups (traditionally men) visiting apple orchards, usually after dark, and to encourage the trees to be especially fruitful the following year songs are sung, trees might be beaten with sticks to wake them up, and offerings of bread soaked cider left in the branches of certain trees. Perhaps one particular tree would be selected to represent the whole orchard.

A Dictionary of the Sussex Dialect published in 1875 has something to say on the subject. It defines howlers as ‘boys who in former times went round wassailing the orchards. A custom now nearly obsolete. The custom of wassailing used to be observed on the eve of the Epiphany, when the howlers went to the orchards, and there encircling one of the best bearing trees, drank the following toast,-

‘Here’s a health to thee, old apple tree,

May’st thou bud, may’st thou blow,

May’st thou bear apples enow!

Hats full! Caps full!

Bushel, bushel, sacks full!

And my pockets full, too! Huzza!

The wassailers derived their name from the Anglo-Saxon salutation on pledging one to drink, which was waes hael, be of health; to which the person pledged replied drinc hael, I drink your health.‘

Epiphany occurs usually on 6th January, or on the first Sunday falling between 2nd and 8th January, which tends to tie in roughly with Twelfth Night, at least as far as 6th January goes.

Groups of wassailers might also take the opportunity to go from door to door singing wassailing songs (like the one above and plentiful variations) to earn a penny or two. It is possible that the tradition of Christmas carolling derived from this. A wassail bowl was often also taken around, which would hold spicy mulled cider. This might perhaps also be offered at houses visited, although my copy of the 1849 Chambers Dictionary suggests a wassail bowl was used to drink in the New Year and does not mention anything about wassailing itself. I suppose this might represent a sort of official disapproval of the tradition. But it does confirm that drinking was involved, and I’ve no doubt the revellers enjoyed their share.

Howlers would appear to be a Sussex tradition, the name deriving from the boys ‘howling’ the orchard.

Away from the south of England, wassailing appears to have been more widespread, in the sense that not just apple orchards, but also bees might be wassailed, to encourage them to be productive, and it might also happen at other times of the year.

It being 6th January, we took a bus and a couple of trains and made our way to the village of Worth, just outside Sandwich, in East Kent, to not only join in with wassailing apple orchards but also watch some Hooden Horse antics. Hooden Horses you shriek in confusion? Look no further than this post, which even explains why we chose to go to East Kent.

Anyway, ale was drunk in the pub where we began the afternoon, with the Hooden Horse company performing their version of the traditional play – this particular company have recently revived the custom in this area – before we set off (horse and all) to wassail a nearby orchard on our way into Sandwich. In this case, the wassailing consisted of making plenty of noise as we passed the orchard – many a shout of waes hael and drinc hael, ringing of hand bells, and clashing of sticks. Personally, I am convinced there will be a bountiful harvest there next autumn. Then on to Sandwich for further Hooden Horse Hi-jinks (and further ale) in a welcoming taproom, before we made our way back home (since we had quite a long journey), although hardier folk than us went on for further malarky elsewhere in town.

Warning! Do not let this ‘doctor’ anywhere near your loved ones!

Gathering in the pub car park before the Wassailing walk

In the taproom, Sandwich

  • several of these photos courtesy of Sabina

We’ll just have to look out for another malarky opportunity soon, I guess.

34 thoughts on “A Jolly Wassail and the Howlers (and not forgetting the Hoodeners!)”

  2. What a great post. As it happens, last night I pulled out the delicious wassail I was gifted at Christmas time. I’d saved it until Twelfth Night, so I was more than usually able to appreciate the traditions you’ve shared.

    There are some great versions of the Wassail song online, but look at this: a 1927 British Pathé newsreel of the event!

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    1. I think we need a Lord of Misrule for rather longer than just one day. I know we’ve had quite a few years of them, but a proper LoM might be preferable to that lot.

      I’ve seen a few posts on various social media sites on the different celebrations around Britain, and decided I need to make a point of seeing some more. Unfortunately, being unable to clone myself successfully means I won’t be able to do more than one a year. I need to plan the coming one!

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    1. I’m not sure. My references (such as they are) all seem to suggest it occurred around Christmas or twelfth night since at least the 1400’s. I would imagine it took place then as it was the ‘dead season’ and therefore good reason to give nature as much of a boost as possible.

      Of course, it was also a great time to indulge in as many practices involving boisterousness and drinking (and anything else that might be going) as one could.

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    2. What an interesting and lively post. It’s really lovely that these traditions are being kept alive with so much public enthusiasm. Learnt something new today, i had no idea about wassailing or howling.The photos were very helpful to imagine the Hooden Horse, too.

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    1. Thanks, Robbie. I’m not surprised. I suspect the majority of British folk haven’t heard of it, either. Of course, if you move over here, you’ll have to wise up on all these traditions!

      And Happy New Year to you, too!

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  10. About all I knew of Wassail was a song that begins, “Here we go a wassailing…” And of a local microbrew called Wassail Ale. The thrashing of trees or the toast and response are new – thanks for the info. Sounds like a fun outing.

    For what it’s worth, some of my beer recipes include hops from East Kent – specifically East Kent Goldings. Somehow, I suspect they’re a part of a Wassail recipe, although I’ve never made one.

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    1. Definitely a fun outing, Dave. We could have done with you to photograph it all properly!

      It’s hops such as the Goldings – also Fuggles and Northdown, amongst others – that give traditional English ales their distinctive bitter taste. The citrusy flavoured beers becoming more popular today are made with other hops, especially the ones grown in the US.

      I know that where you live the breweries produce Stouts and Porters as well as lighter beers and I wonder which hops are used in them.

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      1. I’ve heard of Fuggles, think I even used it as a sub for Goldings once. I haven’t used Northdown. We grow hops in the Pacific NW as well, including clones of Goldings. As for hops in Porters and Stouts, I checked a recipe book and they also used Goldings and/or Fuggles. As I only occasionally drink those styles I don’t brew them. At 5 gallons a batch it takes quite a while to get through even the styles I drink more often.

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  11. This is such a great post ~ it takes me back to Oregon (Hood River), the location of one of my favorite breweries (Full Sail Dave Ply mentions in his comment). I knew the term Wassail, but it is because the brewery makes a great winter all called Wassail Ale (their signature winter brew), and with Hood River being a key part of apple production in the area, it now all makes sense 🙂 Growing up, we always said that winter has arrived when Wassail Ale became available 🙂 What a great tradition you share, and unbeknownst to me, we celebrate it in the Pacific Northwest, although without the deep tradition/knowledge you share in your post 🍺. What a great outing – and perhaps at one point in the future, you, Dave, and I can share one in Hood River :-)!

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    1. That sounds a good plan, Randal! I’m wondering now whether Wassailing might have happened when the orchards were first planted (obviously, I have no idea when that was) and perhaps any local folk who might have migrated there from England could have brought the tradition with them.

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      1. I think you are right. In the USA, much of what we produce (especially the higher quality items) can often be traced through migration, where people arrive and carry on their craft, passion, and tradition. I will have to look into this with Full Sail Brewery (such a great pub). I’ll book a table for us when we set the date! Cheers to a great year ahead.

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