Hannah
More Zider is named after Hannah More Road, a major road
to the west of Nailsea which many of those involved in the
cider-making grew up near to. Hannah More Park, adjacent
to the road, is where many Nailsea youngsters will gain
their first valuable experience of cider. It has a variety
of slides and swings to enhance the effects of the alcohol,
and used to also boast a series of wooden poles. These were
useful in determining when you’ve had too much cider,
as you werere no longer able to balance on one of them,
let alone walk across all of them. Unfortunately these have
since been replaced by a wooden fence, which could serve
the same purpose. Hannah More Park is also home to numerous
allotments, which one day will become the Hannah More Zider
orchard
Hannah
More Park, and a mystery arm
Hannah
More Infant School, located just a couple of hundred metres
away, is where many of us began the education process that
has led to us being able to press apples with such skill
and passion. We imagine much has changed in the twenty years
since we left, but hopefully cider-making is still high
on the curriculum.
(http://www.hannahmoreinfants.ik.org)
All
the above are named after Hannah More, who lived from 1745-1833.
Although she never lived in Nailsea, she was a regular visitor,
in her role as a social reformer. She clearly enjoyed her
visit, and described the Nailsea glassworks as follows:
"The wages are high, the eating and drinking luxurious,
the body scarcely covered"
This is exactly the sort of working environment we hope
to achieve at Hannah More Zider, as we all know there’s
nothing like a bit of naked cider to get the apples pressed.
The
original naked cider-maker
In
addition to her naked cider-fests Hannah More mainly worked
to improve religious and educational standards around
Bristol, and is buried at Wrington, a small village on
the outskirts of Nailsea.
Hannah
was also a cider fan herself, as part of her educational
programme included a “Hannah More Picnic”,
to reward local children for good behaviour. This picnic,
in the summer of 1791, saw over 500 children taken on
wagons to Cheddar Hill, where the feast they were given
included a cask of cider.
