Wassailing: Branscombe Primary School take part in tradition

The annual event saw the community gather to sing a wassailing song, penned by the school’s pupils.

Wassailing is a pagan tradition that blesses the apple trees to ensure a good harvest in the autumn.

The activity, filled with the clanging sounds of saucepans and children's lively voices, reverberated through the lush Branscombe valley.

It is observed each year on the twelfth night and has been practiced in Britain for centuries.

Largely it consists of singing, drinking and the crowning of a wassail king and queen who bless the apple trees with toast soaked in cider – in this case, apple juice.

Parents alongside children performed the Branscombe's School Wassail song.

The lyrics of the song highlight the nature-rich Branscombe Vale, robins, wholesome apples, and emphasis on the importance of evicting evil spirits to help the trees flourish.

In Branscombe Vale sweet apples grow

And Robins nest and feed and was Wassail with crusty bread and cider showers the trees

And candles bright gleam through the night

And home-made lanterns glow with shouts and bangs above our heads

To make the bad spirits go

Make the trees grow

Plenty of cider

Plenty of juice and plenty of apples to eat

Lots for us

Lots for the birds

Go away bad things

Wake up good things

Make the trees grow wassail we go

Make the trees grow!

Meg Vallender, visitor experience officer with the National Trust in Branscombe, said: "Hanging toast on trees is a peculiar English tradition.

"However, it’s a great opportunity for the community to come together in celebration and song, and it will hopefully lead to a good cider harvest from the orchard this autumn".

The event epitomises the communal spirt of Branscombe, uniting young and old in celebrating a long-held tradition that breathes life into their valley.