Celebrating Together: A Community Song


The Community Charter Song for South Molton for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebrations, led by Songwriter, Nick Wyke

Made possible by a North Devon Council Community Grant and a ‘Let’s Create’ Grant from Arts Council England and Devon Community Foundation

Ace Funding Logo
NDC Logo

From late April, North Devon musician and song writer, Nick Wyke, will create a Song for South Molton, working with South Molton Schools, local choirs and community groups. Our distinguished local musician, Tom Bayliss will lead us to the premiere of the song.

To celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s 70 years on the throne, it is fitting that our new song will be based on the town’s two royal charters, Elizabeth I’s all the way back in 1590 in and Charles II’s a short hundred or so years later. The charters are all about governing the town, its boundaries, its council members, law and order, weights and measures. And importantly they gave rights to the town to govern itself – only accountable to the laws of the nation!

South Molton Square
South Molton Square

Go and see them in the South Molton Museum! You won’t be able to see the lists of surnames on them, but some of them still exist in the town today, such as May, Webber and Tucker! Yet the Charters show how important our town has been over the ages – and they are truly magnificent.

South Molton Museum Logo

The Museum’s opening hours are:
Monday & Tuesday 10.30 – 16.00
Wednesday 10.30 – 13.00
Thursday & Saturday 10.30 – 13.00
Closed Sunday and Bank Holidays

To take part you can be in a choir – or not; be a schoolchild – or a granny; be a historian – or a farmer. You just need to love to sing – you don’t need to be an opera singer! You can help write the words, contribute to the tune – or just add your voice to one practice and the first performance ever on Friday 3rd June. To find out more, just drop us a quick email.

You’ll be playing a part in this once-in-a-lifetime Jubilee event, commemorating our Queen Elizabeth II and celebrating her incredibly long reign, as well as making music, having fun and laying down a legacy for the town. Who knows? Maybe in 432 years from now one day in June, new townspeople will still be singing our Jubilee Community Charter Song in South Molton Square …!

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