| Where: | Guildford, Surrey starting at the Star Inn on Quarry Street |
| When: | 6th January |
| Time: | From 7 pm |
Pilgrim Morris celebrate Twelfth Night every year with a traditional Wassail to round off the festive season, featuring a cast of colourfully costumed characters with musicians. They tour the towns hostelries singing traditional carols, performing the Guildford Mummers Play and generously passing ’round the wassail bowl under the auspices of the King of Misrule, who is chosen at the start of proceedings at the Star Inn. At each pub, chalked cross marks are made on the beams called apotropaic marks – it’s one of the rituals of the night and the marks are made to bring good luck and to prevent the entrance of evil spirits. It’s noisy, crowded and lots of fun!
Helpful Hints
This event normally takes place on 6th even when it falls on a Sunday.
We visited Guildford again for the Summerpole event in May and checked to see if the apotropaic chalk marks were still on the beam at the Star- and they were!
The tour usually begins at the Star, then moves on to the Keep on Castle Street, the Angel Hotel and the Three Pigeons (both on the High Street) and finally the Royal Oak at Trinity Churchyard each at intervals of half to three-quarters of an hour (bear in mind you will be operating in Morris time which can be different to GMT) . If you’re particularly fond of carols, the best place to hear them is at the Angel Hotel. As the route may vary slightly from year to year, check the itinerary near to the night on the Pilgrim Morris Website then you’ll get the up-to-date route and any last minute amendments.
Click here for the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pilgrimmorrisguildford
The route has been much the same for many years but is reviewed every year and sometimes there is a minor variation. Check the Pilgrim Morris website for details near the date.
I saw these last night at the Angel, a lovely old coaching inn half way up the High Street. The King of Misrule drew the crosses on the beams, by being held upside down from the balcony and chalking them on – one for each of the wise men!
ps – they have been performing in the Angel for 42 years!
That’s a long time – sounds like a good night out! Happy 2018!
Averil
Twelfth Night Mon 6th Jan 2020:
The Star from 7:00pm, when the King of Misrule is chosen,
Mummers play 7:30pm followed by
The Keep, Castle Street at 8:00pm,
The Angel Hotel at 8:30pm, singing and storytelling in its fine gallery hall,
The Three Pigeons, High Street. at 9:30pm, and finally,
The Royal Oak, Sydenham Road at 10:15pm
Many thanks Philip – very organised to get the schedule out before Christmas, I’m impressed!
Averil