Winchester Cathedral was filled with people, music, and a renewed sense of community on 10 December as we hosted a very special Carol Service.  For the first time, invitations were extended beyond the family and friends of boys currently at school.

It was a chance for alumni to get together along with local businesses, educationalists, former governors, School Committee members, and dignitaries, including the Mayor and Mayoress of Winchester.   

Having so many people connected with the school in one place transformed this cherished annual tradition into a celebration of our extended Pilgrims’ community. 

Tradition and New Connections 

Music is, of course, a big part of life at Pilgrims’ and everyone was treated to spectacular performances from the Quiristers, Choristers, Chamber Choir, Senior Choir and Junior Choir.

As Headmaster Tim Butcher explained, boys’ choral singing is a dying art and yet it is a thriving part of daily life at Pilgrims’, with the school being the only one in the whole of the UK serving two choral foundations; Winchester College and the Cathedral. Everyone was treated to incredible performances as boy trebles echoed through this incredible space, with which we are so lucky to have such strong connections.  

For alumni, returning to the Cathedral in Advent evoked fond memories of their own years at Pilgrims’. 

Thank you so much for inviting me to the magnificent carol service and the beautifully managed get together afterwards in the Pilgrims' Hall. I was surprised and delighted to meet some of my contemporaries for the first time in fifty years! It was like a door opening into the past, revealing so many half-forgotten memories of the very happy five years I spent at the school and as a Chorister in the Cathedral.

Piers Cross

Boys read the lessons, highlighting the school’s commitment not only to musical excellence, but to making sure boys can grow in confidence as public speakers.  

Reception in the Historic Pilgrims’ Hall 

Following the service, alumni and other guests were treated to festive refreshments in the Pilgrims’ Hall. Many guests new to the school had never been inside our mediaeval hall, which as alumni will know, dates from around 1308 and remains one of the best preserved in the country. Visitors admired its hammerbeam roof, one of the earliest surviving examples anywhere, with its blackened timbers hinting that there may well have been small, controlled fires for cooking and warmth when pilgrims stopped off during visits to the shrine of St Swithun. 

As we all know, the space is still used daily for assemblies, plays, music rehearsals and performances by the choirs, music ensembles and sinfonietta to name but a few.   

Mulled wine and conversation flowed, with many old Pilgrims’ meeting up for the first time in years.  

It was an event marking a firm intention for the school to open its doors more widely going forward and to welcome in new people who might have previously never come our way. A message truly worthy of the season.

Jane Goddard
Marketing and Communications