In this lecture, Jeremy Summerly and a quartet of singers from Oxford Camerata demonstrate how Christmas used to be celebrated.

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Date: 04/12/2026

Time: 19:30

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21:00


Cost: £15 (£7.50 students)


Audience: Everyone


Location: St Albans Cathedral, St Albans, AL1 1BY

We now call many things carols – chants, songs, hymns, and actual carols. And the melting pot for all of these genres was medieval England. In this lecture, Jeremy Summerly and a quartet of singers from Oxford Camerata demonstrate how Christmas used to be celebrated back in the day. The Angel Gabriel, Geoffrey of Monmouth, Geoffrey Chaucer, a barefooted hermit, a drunken poet, two Oxford students, a Finnish Headmaster, and, of course, St Nicholas feature in this colourful revelation of how to do Christmas the old-fashioned musical way.

Clergy and Readers in the Diocese have complimentary access to our Adult Learning courses, talks, study days, and reading groups. For clergy and reader bookings, please email studycentre@stalbanscathedral.org with your name and role and we will confirm your place. Discounts and bursaries are also available for members of the public.