A wassailing event drew the biggest crowd in years despite chilly weather.
Wassailers gathered at the Bourne Community Orchard off Beech Avenue on Saturday evening (January 4) to scare away evil spirits in the hope of encouraging a bumper harvest.
Sarah Roberts of the Friends of Bourne Wood said: “It was one of our best turn outs ever.
Bourne wassailing had its biggest turn out this year
“We haven’t seen that many people in years.”
Bourne Borderers kicked off proceedings with a performance before leading people into the community orchard to hang toast from the trees, pour cider onto the roots and bang pans to scare away evil spirits.
There was also mulled cider and hot apple juice for people to drink to warm up as well as a fire.
More than 200 people gathered in the orchard
Sarah described the gathering of about 250 people in the orchard, which was lit up for the occasion, as ‘quite magical’.
She added: “It’s traditional which makes it important that it keeps going.
“It was a really cold, dark January day but the event brightened everyone up.
“People were able to go out to have a bit of fun, make some noise and do something completely different.
Bourne Borderers performed at the wassailing
“It’s also important for children to see traditions and customs, and to keep them going.”
Stamford’s wassailing event also drew crowds to the community orchard off Green Lane and there will be another chance to enjoy the tradition at Hall Close in Ketton on Saturday, January 18 from 4.15pm.
‘Wassail’ comes from the Anglo-Saxon expression ‘waes haeil’, which means ‘be well’, and was a greeting between a lord of the manor and his peasant workers.
The custom of wassailing originated in cider-making areas, and traditionally took place after Christmas. The purpose was to awaken apple trees and scare away evil spirits, to encourage them to fruit well later in the year.