| Where: | Appleton Thorn - starting at the School |
| When: | 3rd Saturday in June |
| Time: | From 11.30 am |
The village of Appleton Thorn hosts a unique ceremony every June called Bawming the Thorn. The hawthorn tree in the village centre is decorated by school children who perform their Bawming Song then dance around the tree. You will have to travel a very long way to find tidier and better dressed children and their dancing skills are pretty good, too! The tree is a descendant of the famous Glastonbury Thorn and the custom may date back hundreds of years, though it lapsed during Victorian times and was revived in the 1930s and again in the 1970s, after which it has continued annually ever since; pst Covid the customs has been organised by the School and takes place slightly earlier in the day.
Helpful Hints
A well signposted free carpark is available in the village just a short level walk from the tree. Programmes are available from the Village Hall & School area on the day (the words for the Bawming Song are included) and there are stalls, refreshments and a variety of entertainments.
In 2025 it should be on Saturday 21st June. For many years the ceremony took place at 12.45 but the time has moved a little earlier with the Parade and dancing now from noon. An afternoon’s entertainment follows at Bawm Fest ,which features local musicians and bands from 1pm-5pm, with stalls and a bar (Bawm Fest is ticketed- follow the link to the school below for more info).
Click here for the School: https://www.appletonthornprimary.org.uk/
Click here for the Village Hall: https://www.appletonthornvillagehall.co.uk
Clik here to visit the website : http://www.appletonthorn.org.uk/bawming-day
Is there a theme to this day?? I’ve never been to one before
It’s unique to Appleton Thorn, and it’s all to celebrate the tree at the centre of the village, a descendant of the Glastonbury Thorn. There’s dancing and singing from the schoolchildren around the tree, morris dancing and a village fete.