Ashburton's Ale Tasting and  Bread Weighing Ceremony - video Dailymotion

Testing times for ale and bread at Ashburton's ancient ceremony

Transcript

00:00An ancient ceremony celebrating an important role of Ashburn's lead court took place on a Saturday.

00:07The annual ale tasting and bread weighing ceremony, which dates back over 700 years,

00:12saw participants dressed in a monthly array of medieval clothing visit hostelries and bakeries in the town

00:17as ale and bread was deemed fit for consumption.

00:21Bread and ale were important staples of the medieval diet.

00:24Their quality and price were significant concerns to the authorities

00:27leading to one of the most significant commercial laws in medieval England,

00:30the assize of bread and ale.

00:32The lead court would appoint an ale conner to test the quality of ale sold

00:36while the assizes would adjust the weight of bread according to the price of wheat.

00:43To this day Ashburn's lead court still appoints ale tasters and bread weyers

00:46although their role nowadays is purely ceremonial.

00:50It was alright. One job you got.

00:55Thank you everyone.