Hpple {Tree Wassail- 

 Survival of a ftree Cult 



By W. O. BEAMENT, M.A. 



(Read 7 tli December, 1920}. 



PROPOSE for the purpose of this paper to 

 consider firstly the ceremonies accompanying the 

 Apple Tree Wassail which are, or were until 

 lately, observed in the South West of England, 

 and secondly to consider certain parallels to the rite which 

 may be found at various stages of the civilisation of 

 Western Europe. It may then be possible to indicate some 

 connection between the two, and to suggest a theory which 

 accounts for what I believe to be a genuine pre-historic 

 survival on English Soil. At the outset, I ought to explain 

 that the theory which I shall outline at the conclusion of this 

 paper is not intended to be the result of any research. It is 

 simply an indication of the lines along which I believe a 

 possible solution of the problems presented by the Apple Tree 

 Wassail may be found. 



At the present day the custom of wassailing the apple trees 

 does not appear to be observed in Dorset; and when I first 

 commenced collecting material for this paper I was not aware 



