This is a unique ancient ceremony, dating back many hundreds of years, and is held in Aston on Clun each year on the last Sunday in May.  In ancient times, a tree, well placed at the head of several valleys, was decorated for the fertility rites practised by the pastoral shepherds living in the hills of Clun Forest. There is ample evidence in this locality of Bronze and Iron Age peoples: the well-sited Burrow Camp (Iron Age) with its adjacent plateau, overlooking the site of the present village being just one.   
These pastoral tribes worshipped Brigit, the Celtic Goddess of Fertility, who was later to become St Brigit. Her shrine was a tree on which the tribal emblems and prayer flags were kept: fertility for the people and the land being invoked. It is said that cuttings from the Arbor Tree were given to young brides to ensure a good size family.
The Saxons were the earliest settlers in Aston on Clun, swiftly followed by the Normans.     The settlement flourished through Tudor times, but the district suffered badly during the Civil War period: the massacre at nearby Hopton Castle being a notable example of the merciless feuds, which had arisen locally.

In the 1660's, following the demise of  Oliver Cromwell's rigid rule, King Charles ll came to power, declaring a May Day National Holiday on 29th May,(which was also his birthday), known as Oak Apple Day. This later became known in Aston on Clun as Arbor Day.  Trees all over the country were dressed with flags, and the day spent dancing, eating and drinking.      It is thought that villages complied with this practice as a statement of allegiance to the King.

On Arbor Day in 1786, local Squire John Marston of Oaker Estate married Mary Carter of Sibdon. They arrived back at the Arbor Tree to see it dressed with flags, and the villagers having fun.  The Marstons were so taken with the joy of the celebrations, that they set up a trust to pay for the care of the tree and the flags.  It is possible that this act of generosity kept the tradition alive in this village, as slowly, over  many years, tree dressing was forgotten in  many of  Britain's  villages, especially as the tree dressing holiday had been abolished in 1859.

By the mid 1950's, interest was waning even in Aston on Clun, even though Hopesay Parish Council had taken over care of the Tree at that time.   Tom Beardsley of Clun ('Tom Clun' - who wrote for many years for the Shropshire Magazine) suggested that a wedding pageant to celebrate the Marston wedding might excite local interest. Local children dressed up in clothes as worn in the 1700's, with a colourful procession, containing a bride, groom, vicar and villagers.   This was successful, and the wedding pageant became popular.

But this was short-lived, for by the 1970's, Arbor Tree Celebrations had been reduced to Tree Dressing only.  It was in the Queen's Silver Jubilee year of 1977, with a revival of  the  Wedding pageant, that Arbor Day was revitalised. Since then, with hard work by local people, the festival has thrived, becoming the popular annual event it is today.

In 1995, the 300+ year old Black Poplar tree (Populus Nigra Var. Betulifolia) fell down in a storm, and was replaced by a 20 year old sapling, which had been taken from the old tree.  That tree was 28 years old, when it was first pollarded on 7th December 2003.

Aston on Clun is the only known village in Britain where this custom survives annually.
To summarise, we are very lucky to be that village, due to these 6 reasons:
                1)  Ancient Tree rites of prayer flags (Celtic Goddess Brigit)
           2)  1660 King CharlesII May 29th Tree Dressing National Holiday
           3)  1786 the Marston Wedding & subsequent Tree upkeep
           4)  1950's The Wedding pageant (Tom Beardsley)
           5)  1977 Queen's Jubilee Celebrations, revival of the Wedding Pageant
           6)  The enthusiasm and hard work of local people and children today.