Enjoy carols through the ages in Arundel this Christmas

Spokesman David Chalk said: “Do you have a favourite Christmas carol? Lots of us do, but what do you know about the stories that lie behind these festive favourites? Come and find out on Saturday, December 7 at 6.30pm.

“Perhaps your favourite is Silent Night. You may well know that it comes from Austria, but did you know that the church it comes from is also called St Nicholas? And what have mice go to do with it? Or how about the Twelve Days of Christmas? That partridge has much to answer for – and what was it doing in a pear tree anyway?

“There’s more. Was Wenceslas really a king and was he good? Did King Henry VIII write a carol? And talking of other kings, how many were there? And did you know that at one time in England Christmas was actually banned? What about carols like The Holly and the Ivy? Are they really Pagan folk songs? Folk tunes are sometimes borrowed – how about On Ilkla Moor Baht ‘At. Ever heard While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night sung to that tune? And which carol is sung to Greensleeves?

“You may find some of the answers to these questions surprising! Come along to Carols Through the Ages at St Nicholas’ Church Arundel at 6.30 pm on Saturday, December 7 when the stories of carols will be narrated and the carols sung by the choir. Mince pies and candlelight are promised and quizzes and puzzles for younger attendees. Tickets to raise funds for the Friends of St Nicholas are £10 from https://stnicholas.uk/ Under 16s go free.

“Friends of St Nicholas is a registered charity set up for the preservation, repair and maintenance of the Parish Church of St Nicholas, Arundel. The current building dates from 1380 but an earlier church of that name is mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086. Can we trace carols back that far? Come along on December 7 and all will be explained in a festive, fun and informative evening.”