Wassailing the Apple Trees

Series

Series Name
British Movietone News

Issue

Issue No.
2540
Date Released
5 Feb 1978
Stories in this Issue:

Story

Story No. within this Issue
2 / 2
Summary
MOVIETONE CARD TITLE: Wassailing the Apple Tree. DESCRIPTION: Somerset Cider is known all over the world and although it is now produced and bottled by machinery, a Pagan tradition still continues to ensure a good harvest. In the early part of January people gather round the largest tree in the Cider apple orchard, toast is placed among the branched, cider sprinkled over them and guns fired through them. After this ceremony everyone gathers round to sing the old Wassail song. SHOTLIST: CU apples pull back to man sweeping mountain of apples. CU apples into hole. TS ditto. CU man. CU apples into hole. TS apples into sluice to be washed. CU apples being washed. CU ditto. CU apples in water. MCU apples lifted by machine and drained. GV men. CU presser (mechanical). MS man at controls. MCU presser. MS man to vat. MS man pours cider from vat. Shots of cider being tasted. GV bottles on conveyor belt. CU ditto - various. MCU crates of filled bottles of cider. GV orchard. CU sign ‘Wassailing’. MS ditto, MS accordion band playing. MS crowd pan to Morris dancers. MS crowd. MS Morris dancers. MCU crowd clapping. LS bonfire of empty cider crates (to ward off evil spirits). CU ditto. MS men carrying Wassail Queen Lynn Tregembo. MCU ditto. MS Jim Sparks dressed as Mr Pickwick leading procession. MS crowds. MS Queen being carried. MS being given toast on stick which is dipped in cider and placed amongst the branches on tree. MS crowd, MS Queen is given cider to taste. MS people watching. MS cider poured round tree. MS 5 guns fire into tree (to ward off evil spirits) pan to tree. MS band playing in marquee. CU instrumentalist. MS man serving hot mulled cider. CU ditto. MS crowd. MS man serving. MS cider given to couple. Various of people tasting mulled cider. CU Jim Sparks toasts the Wassail.
Keywords
Customs and traditions
Locations
Taunton; Somerset
Card file number
78/9
Credits:
Camera
Denis White
Commentator
Leonard Martin
Length of story (in feet)
384
Story extras:
Film clip

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Name
AP Archive
Email
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Web
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Phone
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How to cite this record

'Wassailing the Apple Trees', British Movietone News Issue No. 2540, 5 Feb 1978. https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/newsonscreen/search/index.php/story/31098 (Accessed 31 Jan 2025)