Before there were clocks, young men in training as guardians of the castle were also trained to mark the hours and days. They were called waits, which is the medieval term for "watchmen". Waits also marked the holidays, and the entertainment of the castle often depended upon them.
In the Middle Ages it was customary for the lord and lady of the manor to provide lavish Christmas feasts for their serfs and vassals. Frequently they came into the castle to sing carols and toast their lord saying, "Wassail!" which means "Good health to you!"
The Waits in the 1950s
Photo from Boar's Head archive
Photo from Boar's Head archive
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