Friday 13 January 2012

Wassailing at 2 Doves, Bromley Common, Grt London 7th Jan 2012

It was a sharp January night for a trip from London to the outskirts of Bromley bordering on to Kent, for a Wassailing and a Mummerers Play.
The Ravensbourne Morris men has resurrected these events, this year was held at a lovely Young's pub.

First was a wassail in the rear garden where an apple tree had been planted in recent times,  the tree was well wassailed  with the time honoured chants and toasting. Afterwards we retired back to the warmth of the pub to recharge glasses.
 Later on in the evening we were treated to a mummerers play   ( see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mummers_Play   and www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/worldmusic/feature_mummers.shtml )  a rather comic play about  death and rebirth ( symbolic the changing of the seasons ) , featuring characters such as St George the Turkish Knight, The Doctor , Grandfather Christmas and odd references to the current political situation !





The pub had  additional cider supplies to their normal range , so we had Dunkerton's, Aspalls and Biddeneden, to assist proceedings along.


With thanks to the Ravensbourne Morris men in organising this fine evening.
www.ravensbourne.org