WITH Christmas soon on the horizon, a date has been confirmed for an exclusive festive concert in Prescot.

The world-renowned Choir of King’s College, Cambridge will host a special carol evening concert in Prescot Parish Church on Sunday, December 3.

Christmas with the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge is a major coup for Prescot and will be the final event taking place as part of another year of exciting and captivating cultural events and activities.

The festive performance will be led by the Choir’s Director of Music, Daniel Hyde, and the audience will be treated to Christmas music and traditional carols as well as the opportunity to join in and sing along with some well-known tunes.

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Hosting the choir in Prescot is a fitting celebration of the town’s unique bond with King’s College, Cambridge. Founded by Henry VI, the college was granted his land in Prescot, which made King’s College the Lord of the Manor and Rectory of Prescot. To this day, King’s College is responsible for appointing every new vicar of Prescot, and the town shares the College’s crest.

The concert was originally planned to take place in 2022 as part of Knowsley’s year as Liverpool City Region Borough of Culture.

Tickets bought for last year’s concert can be transferred to this new date and a limited number of tickets for the new date will be on sale on Monday 13 November at 5pm. Tickets will be available on www.cultureknowsley.co.uk.

Cllr Graham Morgan, leader of Knowsley Council said: “Prescot’s link to King’s College, Cambridge is not widely known – certainly not outside of the town itself. We wanted to make sure we could tell this fascinating story and celebrate this connection and the concert is a wonderful way to do just that.

“The Choir is known all over the world and it is wonderful to think they will come to Knowsley and create such a magical experience for us at Christmas time.

“The concert will also bring a close another fantastic year of culture for Knowsley. A year that has been filled with art, music, literature, performance, dance, sport and so much more.”

The History of Prescot and King's College Cambridge

For centuries, Prescot and King’s College, Cambridge have enjoyed a special connection, with a unique shared history dating back to the 1440s.

King’s College, Cambridge was founded by Henry VI who subsequently granted the college his land in Prescot, along with the income from tithes and rents. As well as providing financial support to the college, the gift also officially made the College the Lord of the Manor and Rectory of Prescot. The Court Leet, an early form of local government, was set up to run the town on their behalf. King’s College holds the title to this day retaining the responsibility for appointing every new vicar of Prescot, and the town shares the College’s crest.

Hundreds of years of records and correspondence between the College, the vicars of Prescot and the Court Leet have captured the story of the town. This bank of knowledge has been invaluable to historians’ research and supported the development of the Shakespeare North Playhouse.

About the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge

Founded in the fifteenth century, the Choir is one of the world’s best known with millions of people worldwide tuning in to The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols – a service broadcast on Christmas Eve by the BBC since 1928. The Choir is made up of choristers aged between 9 and 13 years old and undergraduates from Cambridge. You can find out more here www.kings.cam.ac.uk/choir.