Mike ‘Widder’ Lewis of Chepstow Community Cider describes how he founded ‘The Widders’ Border Morris group in Chepstow in 2001. He explains why they wear their distinctive make-up and dress the way they do. Includes the story behind the founding of the Chepstow Mari Lwyd and Wassail! and how the Wassail! is now a big attraction in the town’s annual calendar of events.

Chepstow in Monmouthshire is a Transition Town. Transition Chepstow helps to organise the town’s annual Apple Day. It is a celebration bringing together local apple growers, food producers, craftspeople and cider makers and provides the opportunity for members of the public to bring their own apples for pressing.
Chepstow hosts a large and very popular annual Wassail! and Mari Lwyd celebration each January.

This digital story was created for ‘The Heritage of Orchards and Cider Making in Wales’, a two year HLF funded project in partnership with The George Ewart Evans Centre For Storytelling at The University of South Wales and The Welsh Cider and Perry Society.
This story recorded with Mike Lewis and edited by Project Associate Catrin James on the 24th of May 2017 at Greenman Backpackers, NP16 5EP

For more information - storytelling.research.southwales.ac.uk, www.welshcider.co.uk

Archive reference HOCW/CHEP/4