Shepherds Arise! Old Sussex carols, dance tunes & Mummers Play, St Michael in Lewes

Sun Jan 04 2026 at 02:30 pm to 04:30 pm UTC+00:00

St Michael's Church | Lewes

Lewes Saturday Folk Club
Publisher/HostLewes Saturday Folk Club
Shepherds Arise! Old Sussex carols, dance tunes & Mummers Play, St Michael in Lewes
Advertisement
A selection of beautiful old West Gallery carols from Sussex villages accompanied by flute, fiddles, serpent, bassoon, clarinet, concertinas & recorder. Between the carols are readings about Christmas in Sussex in the past, and the musicians play lively dance tunes from old Sussex manuscripts. There is also a Sussex Mummers' play. As always, there will be some old favourites & some new additions.
This is a lovely celebration of Christmas from earlier centuries, still full of the joy and delight it gave then.
The carols and dance tunes are from 18th. and 19th. century handwritten manuscripts mostly held at Barbican House, Lewes, by the Sussex Archaeological Society. In 1982 a selection of the dance tunes was assembled by Dr. Vic Gammon and Anne Loughran and published as 'A Sussex Tune Book' by the English Folk Dance & Song Society.
Dr. Gammon also researched the carols and gathered musicians and singers to perform them under the name 'Hope In The Valley' forty-six years ago. Mary Motley directed Hope In The Valley when Dr. Gammon moved from Sussex.
The current group was assembled by Stuart Walker in 2013 to bring this beautiful collection of old Sussex music back to life. In Mary Motley took up the baton again from 2021-2023 & Stuart returned last year.
Other performances this winter are at
Friends Meeting House Brighton BN1 1AF, Sunday 30 Nov 2:30-4:30 p.m.
St Peter’s Church Henfield, BN5 9NY, Sunday 7 Dec, 2:30–4:30 p.m.
St Andrew’s Church Steyning BN44 3YB, Sunday 14 Dec 2:30-4:30 p.m.
St Margaret’s Church Rottingdean BN2 7HA, Sun 21 Dec 2:30–4:30 p.m.
Lewes Saturday Folk Club, Elephant & Castle, 27 Dec 8:00 p.m. (£8)
Free admission with collection for church funds at all church performances
Advertisement

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

St Michael's Church, Lewes, United Kingdom

Icon
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

Ask AI if this event suits you:

More Events in Lewes

January 2026 Drawing Classes
Thu, 08 Jan at 10:00 am January 2026 Drawing Classes

BN7 3NA Lewes, United Kingdom

Transglobal Underground (Live) \/\/ Lewes Con Club
Sat, 10 Jan at 08:00 pm Transglobal Underground (Live) // Lewes Con Club

Lewes Con Club

Unaffiliated Dressage
Sun, 11 Jan at 09:00 am Unaffiliated Dressage

Plumpton College, BN7 3AE Lewes, United Kingdom

Ringmer Dog First Aid Workshop
Sun, 11 Jan at 01:30 pm Ringmer Dog First Aid Workshop

Ringmer Village Halll

Subhumans \/ Constant State Of Terror Live at Lewes Con Club
Sun, 11 Jan at 07:30 pm Subhumans / Constant State Of Terror Live at Lewes Con Club

Lewes Con Club

HEP B Clinic  15th January 2026 @ Lewes Fire Station 1100 -1300
Thu, 15 Jan at 11:00 am HEP B Clinic 15th January 2026 @ Lewes Fire Station 1100 -1300

Occupational Health Dept, Lewes Community Fire Station

Lewes is Happening!

Never miss your favorite happenings again!

Explore Lewes Events