Bawming The Thorn.

In the small Cheshire village of Appleton a very old tradition has been resurrected which centres around a thorn tree which according to tradition can be traced back to Joseph of Arimathea. The thorn tree which grew at Glastonbury is said to have originated from Joesph of Arimathea’s staff which he brought with him to England after the Cruxifiction.

A thorn tree has stood at this spot since the 12th century when according to local Historians the original tree was planted by a Norman Knight Adam de Dutton. He was returning from the Crusades in 1178 when he made a pilgrimage to Glastonbury Abbey and brought an offshoot of the famous Glastonbury Thorn back with him, he then planted it at this location in celebration for his safe return from the Crusades.

Over the centuries the tradition of Bawming the Thorn has grown up around the tree, and the word Bawming means to decorate the tree with ribbons and flowers while singing the “Bawming Song”, a song which was composed by the Poet R.E.Egerton-Warburton in the 19th century. After the song has finished the village children then dance around the tree, the custom was revived in 1973 as it had died out and is now celebrated on the third Saturday of June.