CATERING

Bampton has its own patron saint, Beornwald, whose feast-day was celebrated in the Middle Ages on 21 December. Prof. John Blair, the historian expert on Anglo-Saxon Bampton, once wrote that “if still largely mysterious, St Beornwald of Bampton deserves rescuing from oblivion.” In 1995 we decided to do exactly that by marking his neglected feast-day with a concert in St Mary’s; these have followed every year since, although occasionally with slight date variation (and except in the pandemic year when the concert was translated to St Mary’s, Witney). Beornwald (the name means ‘mighty bear’) lived probably sometime between the 7th and 9th centuries and may have ruled the important minster church in the village. The elegant 14th century remains of his likely shrine are in the north transept chapel of St Mary’s, and well worth a visit (if you go to look, do crane your neck upwards to the roof, where there is a wonderful grimacing grotesque!).

The St Beornwald concerts have covered a wide range of music, sometimes popular, such as Messiah or Vivaldi’s Seasons, but often with less well-known themes and music. Twice we’ve put on the moving Christmas opera, Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors, which works very effectively in the church. In recent years, the concerts have especially featured a select professional consort of singers, the Bampton Classical Voices, directed by Andrew Griffiths. Always the wonderful acoustic of the church enhances the music, and Jacky Allinson and her friends add to the pleasure of the evening with mulled wine of particular potency!