Brightwell Cum Sotwell’s Wassailing, Mumming and Beating the Bounds Tradition                                                      

Brightwell cum Sotwell has a long tradition of hosting traditional rural activities.  These are recorded in the Parish Records and survive in the collective memory of villagers.  The Vicar’s diaries of the 1700s document the Beating of the Bounds, Mummer’s performed from house to house well into the 1980s whilst older residents remember the Wassailing activities of their youth.  The May Queen was crowned and villager’s went A’ Shroving singing ‘Pit Pat the Pan’s Hot’ on their way. 

Many of these traditions continue to the present - although in a much-altered form.  As the village (and its residents) have evolved so have the traditions, what is important is that the tradition continues to take place, reflecting the priorities of the present whilst providing comtinuity with our shared past.


Wassailing

Brightwell and Sotwell have a proud fruit growing tradition that dates back many centuries.  Until the 1960s much of the village was still covered in fruit trees, pears, apple, plum and cherry were common alongside soft fruit.  Recently a lot of the old orchards have been scrubbed up and developed for housing.  This said, many fine old fruit trees (often covered in mistletoe) survive in ancient orchards and in the hedgerows that follow the village’s winding lanes.  Almost ninety varieties of apple were recorded during a survey for the 2018 Village Orchard Group’s Community Apple Pressing Day. 

The village’s Wassailing tradition was re-kindled in the 2000s and brought up to date to reflect the modern village.  The oral tradition of walking from orchard to orchard was weaved into a new format – known as a ‘Processional Wassail’.

In just two decades, the Wassail has become one of the most anticipated events in the village calendar and now attracts 750 villagers.  Music and dance are an essential part of the event spawning our very own Wassail Band – the Shady Wilcox Experience (named after an eccentric villager who loved playing music up to his death in the 1950s).  A Wassail song has been written (that is taught to village school children) and a partnership forged with local Border Morris Group Armaleggan. 

Wassailers walk from one orchard to another with different activities taking place in each orchard.  The route is changed annually so that over time all of the village orchards are wassailed.  The event takes place on the closest Saturday or Sunday to Twelfth Night and always includes the Community Orchard and when possible the Little Martin’s Orchard.  One of the ‘Big Houses’ are always wassailed and dances performed.  The Wassail starts with a Wassail prayer to provide the link to the Christian calendar that formed such an important part of village life (and to reassure our Vicar that we are not a village of wicker practicing pagans!).    

A Wassail King and Queen are crowned and Wassailer’s are treated to a Lamb’s Wool cider punch (based on a 250 year old village recipe.  The annual Mummer’s Play is performed during the Wassail – more about this later!   

The purpose of the Brightwell cum Sotwell Wassail is not simply to wake our fruit trees following Mid-winter.  The village is one of he coldest places in England (minus 20C is known!) and frosts until June are common.  The great enemy of our harvest is therefor Ol’ Jack Frost who regularly makes an appearance during the Blossoming Time – destroying the blossom before fruit can even develop.  Each year the Wassail makes a LOT of noise to warn Ol’ Jack away during the Blossoming Time.  We have Muzzleloaders that fire into the trees and we event finish the Wassail with a grand fireworks display! 

The Wassail always finishes in the Red Lion for folk music, singing, dancing, beer and hot Chili!


 Mumming

 


Mumming has continued in the village from ancient times to the present.  Whether this was shroving, carolling or the performance of a play – usually taking house-to-house.  It seemed quite right therefore for the annual Mummer’s Play to be weaved into the Wassail, now taking place in the garden or barn of one of the Big Manor Houses or under an old tree in an ancient orchard. 

The Brightwell and Sotwell Mummer’s perform a contemporary play (based on the traditional Mummer’s format) but with a modern twist.  The play is re-written each year based on a current concern.  There’s always a Doctor but the hero (who needs reviving) could be our orchards, the Thames or the village itself.  The villain has been Putin, Brexit, the Covid Virus and Thames Water!  All tongue in cheek but great fun.


Beating the Bounds

The parish bounds are recorded in detail in an Anglo Saxon Charter dating to the Ninth Century.  They can still be followed, pretty much the same to the present.  The only change has been the insertion of that brash ‘New Town’ of Wallingford into our parish. 

Over the centuries, the parish of Brightwell has been split and merged.  Mackney, Sotwell and Clapcot have been created and separated from Brightwell before being bought back into the fold in the 1940s.

The entire parish is beat once a decade – always on Rogation Sunday following a special church service.  This takes all day and finishes in the Red Lion!  In between the old parish boundaries of Sotwell, Mackney, Clapcot, Bishop’s Brightwell (now largely taken by Wallingford) or Brightwell are followed.

In the past, these perambulations were vital in passing local knowledge to the next generation.  Today they are a bit of fun but do lead to a healthy rivalry between the different parts of the village and an annual tug of war between the old Saxon parishes of Brightwell and Sotwell!


Yulia Shevchenko has kindly given us a link to her photos of the event

Wassail 2025

   

Video Links

The Annual Wassail Firedance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lwqlk8nCJBM

 

Brightwell cum Sotwell Wassail Song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyCUAkNkNZw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTi8AMHJ9tE&t=29s

 

2025 Mummer’s Play

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqYcfVSga2A&t=5s&pp=ygUcMjAyNSBicmlnaHR3ZWxsIG11bW1lcnMgcGxheQ%3D%3D

 

2016 Mummer’s Play

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPAbrM-PlFI

 

2022 Wassail Fire Dance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56xHJ9mDWPE

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUZ4_BvSom0

 

2022 Mummer’s Play

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcTv224atl0&t=35s

 

Wassail Song in the Red Lion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tb6FR29gfQU

 

Wassail at the Red Lion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQFVT6vNar0&t=32s

 

Scaring Ol’ Jack Frost from coming during our Blossoming Time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvyfs_WNIHk

 

2025 Fire Dance and Fireworks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4j1j7W4HJ_s

 

Some more Red Lion folk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7PDXCiG9QQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSUqJiAkbmE