The Ashton faggot at Lydeard

25 December · Lydeard St Lawrence, Somerset

No longer kept

At Christmas, Lydeard St Lawrence in Somerset burned a hooped bundle of sticks called the Ashton faggot, and a quart of cider went to those who watched. The cider grew into a drinking bout at the inn, and in 1902 a spectator was brought before the magistrates, who called the custom a bad one. Hazlitt thought it a form of the Yule log.

the fagot, in reality a bundle of sticks hooped together, disappeared in the flames, the hoops successively bursting with the heat.

From Hazlitt's Faiths and Folklore, vol. 1, p. 20. Read the original

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Folklore from the old calendars

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The Cumnor Christmas feast No longer kept BerkshireAfter evening service on Christmas Day the tithe-paying parishioners of Cumnor went to the vicarage to be given bread, cheese and ale.
Wrestling for the boar’s head No longer kept EssexAt Hornchurch the lessee of the tithes, which belonged to New College, Oxford, provided a boar's head, dressed and garnished with bay leaves, every Christmas Day.
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Christmas Day in the Highlands No longer kept HighlandsGrant's Popular Superstitions of the Highlands described a Highland Christmas.
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Hunting owls and squirrels on Christmas Day No longer kept SuffolkA man brought up in a village not far from Bury St Edmunds told Brand that when he was a boy the youths there had a country custom of hunting owls and squirrels on Christmas Day.
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The kissing bush at York and Newcastle No longer kept Northumberland, YorkshireAt York and Newcastle upon Tyne a kissing bush was hung up at Christmas, made of mistletoe, evergreens, ribbons and oranges.
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The Houghton pitmen’s sword dance No longer kept County DurhamAt Christmas a team of nine pitmen from Houghton Colliery went round as sword dancers: five dancers, a clothes-carrier, two clowns and a fiddler.
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Stanging the scholars at Cambridge No longer kept CambridgeshireAt Christmas-time in some Cambridge colleges a scholar who missed chapel was made to ride a colt-staff or pole as his punishment, which was called stanging.
Ale for as long as the Christmas block burns No longer kept Northern EnglandIn northern farmhouses the servants laid by a large knotty block of wood for the Christmas fire, and for as long as it lasted they were entitled by custom to ale with their meals.
Is it not Christmas? No longer kept EnglandAt Christmas people gave themselves up to cards, dice, tables, masking, mumming and bowling, as if the season gave them a special licence to do as they liked.
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Shoeing the mare at Christmas No longer kept EnglandAmong the Christmas sports of the young men was shoeing the mare, a game of the twelve holidays kept alongside blind-man's-buff and the wassail bowl.
Choosing husbands and wives by streaks in the ashes Lore and belief EnglandIn the Christmas holidays young people read streaks in the ash-heap to learn who they would marry.
Plough and harrow hung up for the twelve days No longer kept EnglandOver Christmas the farm labourers hung up the plough and harrow and did no field work until the twelve holidays were over, spending the time in piping and merriment.
Post and pair at Christmas No longer kept EnglandChristmas was the season for card games played for money, such as post and pair and slam, and a man with empty pockets had to sit them out.
The holly and ivy carol before the King at Whitehall No longer kept LondonAt the court of Charles I a Christmas carol was sung before the King in the Presence Chamber at Whitehall, opening with a flourish of music before the song.
Christmas comes but once a year Still kept EnglandThe saying that Christmas comes but once a year is found in Tusser's verses on the farmer's diet, added in the edition of 1580, as the reason to play and make good cheer at Christmas.
Christmas husbandly fare No longer kept EnglandA farmer's Christmas table had brawn, pudding and souse with mustard, beef, mutton and pork, shred pies, pig, veal, goose, capon and turkey.
A yawning match for a Cheshire cheese No longer kept EnglandAmong the Christmas gambols Addison had seen was a yawning match for a Cheshire cheese, which began about midnight when everyone was drowsy.
The quintain on Cornhill at Christmas No longer kept LondonAt Christmas a quintain was set up on Cornhill by Leadenhall, and the Lords of Misrule's followers rode at it.
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The husbandman’s great log and Christmas cheese No longer kept EnglandAt Christmas the countryman laid a great log behind the fire and gathered his neighbours round it.
Christmas only in the red letters No longer kept EnglandBy 1740 Poor Robin was complaining that the old Christmas could only be found in the red letters of the almanacs.
The wassail horn on the clog No longer kept StaffordshireOn the notched wooden clog almanacs, Christmas Day was marked with a drinking horn, the old vessel for wassailing and drinking healths.
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Cards only at Christmas No longer kept EnglandPeople who never touched a card for the rest of the year felt bound to play a few games at Christmas.
The Bungay watchmen’s Christmas verses No longer kept SuffolkAt Christmas the night watchmen of Bungay printed a copy of verses for the townspeople in the hope of a Christmas gift.
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Christmas broth and beef at Mains No longer kept AngusIn 1760 the people of Mains, outside Dundee, visited one another only once a year, at Christmas.
The young men’s Christmas begging for the poor at Grange No longer kept BanffshireIn the Christmas holidays the young men of Grange went round the parish in parties, begging on behalf of its neediest people.
Bloccyn gwilian, the festival block No longer kept WalesThe Welsh Christmas log was called bloccyn gwilian, the festival block, and it had to be big enough to burn right through the twelve days of Christmas.
A new carol every Christmas No longer kept WalesIn Wales a new Christmas carol was usually written each year by a local poet or rhymer and sung in church after the morning or evening service.
Twelve salted onions for the months Lore and belief WalesSome Welsh people foretold the coming year's weather with onions.
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The Ashton faggot at Lydeard

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