No Mans Orchard Photo Gallery

 To see pictures from the 60th Birthday celebration please click here (viewed in Windows media player)

NO MAN’S ORCHARD - Wassailing event.

Gail Duff a local songwriter and musical performer has been working with the local people and written special songs for Chartham Hatch – immortalising characters and events from the history of the North Downs Way through the parish of Chartham.

Performers dressed up as a characters from the Canterbury Tales and local farmworkers from times gone by.

As dusk fell on the orchard, specially written wassail songs were sung accompanied by a violin and a wooden vessel filled with mulled cider was passed around the performers and visitors. A piece of toast was placed an a tree and salt scattered on the ground as a special blessing to the orchard for the hope of a good crop later in the year.

The group returned back to Chartham Hatch Village Hall in a torch lit procession for a celebratory barn dance.

Photos courtesy of the Kentish Stour Countryside Project. Click here to visit
their website.