THE walled garden of the Shoemakers Museum in Street will be the venue for a ceremony to encourage a thriving apple crop.

People are being encouraged to join a wassail at the venue on January 19, with music, dancing, storytelling and apples galore on the agenda.

The Langport Mummers will be providing music and dance, while the legendary Les Davies (Westcountry Man, CBE) will be master of ceremonies as the ceremony blesses the oldest tree in the orchard.

The Shoemakers Museum, which is currently being developed, is to be the new home of a collection of more than 100,000 objects, ranging from 200-million-year-old fossils to 200 years of shoemaking and Clarks shoes.

It is being built by The Alfred Gillett Trust to house its collections and the new visitor attraction is expected to open to the public in Summer 2025.

While construction is underway and the buildings are closed, the Trust will be making the most of its orchards and gardens – including at the wassail.

“We plan to start the year with a bang and a traditional wassail to ensure a good apple harvest,” said Sam Cullen, Shoemakers Museum manager.

“The old walled orchard is a feature in grounds of the Grange, the historic house that sits alongside Clarks Village, Street.

“Everyone is welcome to help us celebrate with music, dance and merrymaking.”

Visitors are invited to create and bring along their finest decorated wassail crowns, with prizes given for the best apple-themed headdress.

The event takes place on January 19, between 2pm and 4.30pm. Entry is by donation and no booking is required. For more information, see https://alfredgilletttrust.org/whats-on.