Wassail 2025!
Over 200 People attended our first Wassail Event!
On Saturday 18th January Groobarbs Field Kitchen hosted its first Wassail, lead by ‘Wassail King and Queen’ Field Kitchen owners David & Rebecca Fryer.
The word ‘wassail’ comes from Old Norse for ‘good health’, and this ancient tradition involving singing, dancing and local cider is said to thank the fruit trees for their previous harvest and to bring about a bountiful harvest for the coming year.
Guests enjoyed a 5 course lunch before the event, or were invited to stay afterwards for dinner. They enjoyed a hearty seasonal feast prepared by Head Chef Jake Boyce and team, before assembling to begin the wassailing.
The Wassailers were joined by Ringhey Morris dancers of Mobberley who danced at the start of the festivities, before attendees processed across the farm to the apple trees carrying flaming torches, where they sang traditional songs, before Reverend Clare Leal from St Johns Church in High Legh blessed the trees and lead the revellers in prayer. The final act was the hanging of toast in the trees, to entice Robins who are believed to be the guardians of the orchard.
The procession then returned to the Field Kitchen where the festivities ended with more songs from the Morris Dancers.
The Wassail was well received by those in attendance, with owner David Fryer saying “it’s been fantastic to bring the community together at an otherwise quiet time of year. There has been a revival of Wassailing across the country and it has been a pleasure to host one here on the farm. We are going to expand it and make it even better for next year.”
The Field Kitchen has recently introduced a shorter 2 course lunch option on a Friday’s, with the optional addition of a dessert. They are hosting a number of upcoming events, with Valentines Day celebrations across both lunch and dinner services with live music on Friday 14th February, and a St David’s day lunch celebration on Saturday 1st March, where they will be joined by Macclesfield Choir.
