The Golden Wassail
To celebrate the 50th year of the Community Orchard, the local community and people from across Milton Keynes
and beyond came together on Saturday 24th January for a Wassail, the first of four golden anniversary events this year.
Planted in 1976 by Milton Keynes Development Corporation, the creators of Milton Keynes, our Community Orchard is the largest of its kind in the city and is home to 19 native varieties of apple trees! It is cared for and maintained by The Parks Trust and dedicated volunteers from the Mid Shires Orchard Group.
It was The Parks Trust and these volunteers who helped make the Wassail happen; beginning with the anointment of a King and Queen tree who were dressed in robes and sparkles, recited to and libations; the pouring of cider around the roots to bless them and the orchard for the year ahead. A noisy din followed in which wassail-ers – the banging pots and pans, knocking together of sticks and even a noisy harmonica or two – paraded up and down the orchard to ward off evil spirits before the King and Queen were sang to and celebrated.
It was a well attended event and the first of four events this year; two picnics in the Spring and Summer are still to come, as well as the annual Apple Day this Autumn.
