RESIDENTS in a Wiltshire village have revived some customs old and new to celebrate the new year and chase away the January blues.

For two weekends running, Bratton’s villagers braved the January cold to see the old year out and the new year in with feats of strength, song, noise, and merriment.

Fifteen competitors took part in a traditional custom to celebrate Epiphany on Saturday, January 6 by launching their spent Christmas trees across the village green in an event known to locals as Firling.

This august tradition – in which the firlers utter the immortal words ‘I firl thee, fair fir, I firl thee!’ before hurling their unwanted pine trees into the far distance – dates back to all of 2020 and is the brainchild of villager Sue Kemp.

Inspired by similar tree-throwing events in Ireland, Sue wanted to create a tradition unique to Bratton ‘to bring folk together on a cold winter’s day.’

This year’s firling took place under clear blue skies and raised £44 for Cancer Research.

Wiltshire Times: Andrew Sladen firling his Christmas tree on Bratton village green. Andrew Sladen firling his Christmas tree on Bratton village green. (Image: Anne Bailey)

The winner of the firling competition, Peter Stickler, firled his fir a handsome 8.1 metres and received his golden fir cone trophy to much applause.

Other prizes were awarded, with the prize for the loudest throw appropriately won by the Village Crier, Ray Davis.

The tree theme was taken up again the following weekend when an estimated 130 villagers descended on Reeves Orchard to revive the Twelfth Night tradition of wassailing.

Wiltshire Times: Sian Morgan beats a cooking pots to awaken the trees during the ancient custom of wassailing in Reeves Orchard at Bratton. Sian Morgan beats a cooking pots to awaken the trees during the ancient custom of wassailing in Reeves Orchard at Bratton. (Image: Anne Bailey)

First recorded in the late 16th century, wassailing takes its name from the medieval phrase weas hail (‘be well’) associated with drinking and feasting.

In apple growing regions, the orchard wassail is performed to wake the trees after their winter slumber and the organiser of Bratton’s first Wassail, Dan Loughran, orchestrated a wake-up call that no apple tree could ignore.

Wiltshire Times: Wassailers in Bratton waken the trees in Reeves Orchard, Bratton, during the ancient custom.Wassailers in Bratton waken the trees in Reeves Orchard, Bratton, during the ancient custom. (Image: Anne Bailey)

Fuelled with hot mulled cider and homemade apple cake, Bratton’s wassailers enthusiastically clattered pots and pans to scare away evil spirits, sang traditional wassailing songs, and poured libations to bless the future apple harvest.

The trees were festooned with bunting and offerings of toast, and the Queen and King of Wassail were crowned in the boughs.

After the formal rituals, the wassailers were treated to some colourful Morris dancing, courtesy of Selwood Bound, before retiring to The Duke pub which reportedly ran dry of cider.