Caroline Robinson,South Westand
Christine Butler,South West
BBCA centuries-old folk tradition has brought cheer to a Cornish town for the 402nd time.
The Bodmin Wassail takes place each year on Twelfth Night, 6 January, where a group of men sing wassail songs to local people at different locations including shops, pubs and cafes and residential homes around the town.
The group began 12 hours of singing stop-offs at 12 noon in Bodmin town centre on Tuesday.
Wassailer, Vic Legg, said: “Bodmin has one of the only wassail customs of this type left in the nation.”
Legg said the tradition was for wassailers to wear cast-offs from people, usually top hats and tail coats.
The 84-year-old has been a member of the Bodmin Wassailers for over 50 years.
He said the group had six members singing as three members were unable to join but “it didn’t make any difference – we can all sing, we can all have a good time and we can all wassail.”
He said they were not seeking recruits because “when you visit someone’s house, you can’t overwhelm them with lots of men – it’s not really fair on the homeowners to be overwhelmed by 10 or 12 men.”
They carried a wassailing bowl with them, to receive wine or beer.
Carol Mills and Elaine Wright at Livingstons Jewellers, were visited by the wassailers.
The pair said they came every year and they kept a collection for them.
They added that the event brings people into the town and it was something “to looked forward to” after the new year.
