Much Marcle, Herefordshire, UK. 6th January 2018. Pictured: Morris men perform a ritual where cider is poured around the base of a apple tree, the base of which is strewn with apples and toast.  / Hundreds of people both young and old gathered at the Westons Cider Mill and adjoining orchard to take part in the traditional Wassail ceremony. The event at Much Marcle in Herefordshire was attended by the Silurian morris side who entertained the crowd with witty repartee, raucous dancing and music. According to their website, the true origins of blackened faces are lost to history, but are widely believed to be simply a form of disguise, possibly to overcome the oppressive anti-begging laws of the 17th century, and the eternal embarrassment of being a morris man. The orchard-visiting wassail refers to the ancient custom of visiting orchards in cider-producing regions of England, reciting incantations and singing to the trees to promote a good harvest for the coming year  // Lee Thomas, Tel. 07784142973. Email: leepthomas@gmail.com  www.leept.co.uk (0000635435)
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