Buckland Wassail

Group of morris dancers all dressed up and holding instruments walking down the path — Morris dancing and merrymaking

No New Year festivity is complete without a traditional Wassail. Come and join us as we wake the trees from their Winter slumber...

Wassail

No New Year festivity is complete without a traditional Wassail on Sunday 5th January 2020.

Come and join us as Dartmoor Border Morris leads the Wassail as we celebrate and hope for a good harvest next year.

A morris dancer at Buckland Abbey — Come along and make some noise at Wassail

Mummers Play

Before the wassailing can begin, there will be a traditional mummers play performed in the Great Barn.

The Great Barn has been transformed into a woodland forest with 200 twinkling Christmas trees and hundreds of stars hanging from the rafters, hosts this years mummers play.

Two figures decorating one of the 200 glittering christmas trees filling the barn — Chirstmas winter wonderland

The mummers play or mumming is an ancient custom which means 'making a diversion in disguise'. The morris dancers will wear silly costumes, put on a play with a silly plot and of course include lots of dancing!

After the Mummers play and dancing - everyone will head to the orchard, where we will celebrate for a good harvest by making offerings to the trees with cider and toast.

Toast hanging in the trees — Toast and cider

What shall I bring?

We need to make as much noise as possible to wake the apple trees from their winter slumber. We need as many people to bring pots and pans and anything noisy to help chase away any bad luck in the hopes of getting a good harvest next year.

One of the morris dancers is putting toast on the trees — Waking the trees from their Winter sleep

Where can we eat?

This year we will have a Hog Roast supplied by Hungry Hog Southwest just outside of the barn to warm you up and get you ready for lots of wassailing.

The Ox Yard restaurant will also be open for some tasty treats, light lunches and lots of hot chocolates.

Three people sat around a table eating mince pies underneath a christmas tree and christmas lights — Mince pies and hot chocolate get togethers

What time does it all start?

Mummers play starts at 1pm

Dancing and the Wassail at 2pm outside of the barn.

The restaurant and the hog roast will be open all day for food.

Last hot food orders at 2:30pm for the restaurant.

And if you fancied a walk, the estate will be open from 10am.