Wassailing The Wren King.mp3

Wassailing The Wren King ** Crook Morris Wassail Day 2015 ~

Wren Day, also known Hunt the Wren Day is traditionaly celebrated on 26 December, St. Stephen's Day. The wren traditionally symbolised winter and the robin summer. The tradition consists of "hunting" a fake wren, and putting it on top of a decorated pole or in a garlanded box to symbolise the death of winter and then taken from door to door. The crowds of mummers or strawboys celebrate the wren (pr wran) by dressing up in masks, straw suits and colourful motley clothing and, accompanied by traditional céilí music bands, parade through the towns and villages. These crowds are sometimes called wrenboys.
At each house this song was sung an the occupants asked to pay to see the dead wren with the words “Please to see the King.”
Here I am happy to say a symbolic wren was used and inplace of killing the good folk bowed to the King.

At Hare and Hounds, Bowlands Bridge,
Grateful thanks to the Hare and Hounds, Crook Morris and The Kendal Revellers for their beautiful singing, Simon Gillow as MC, and all the friends and attendees.