Gallery: Wassailing at Hamptonne and The Elms to ward off evil spirits

The National Trust for Jersey and Jersey Heritage hosted a ‘wandering wassail’ at Hamptonne and the Elms to ward off evil spirits from the orchards.

The custom dates back to pagan times and is thought to bring good luck for the apple harvest.

As part of a traditional wassail people would hang cider-soaked toast from the apple trees and gather around the oldest tree to sing, bang pots and pans and fire shotguns. Often a wassail king or queen was elected to help awaken the trees and scare away evil spirits.

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