Romsley & Hunnington History Society -

Meeting Report - May 2016

A LITTLE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RELATING TO THE THREE KENELM PAGEANTS

(See Pat Evan's excellent report in last month's magazine)

Three pageants took place in St. Kenelm's Church during the 1960s as the result of a suggestion made by a female dramatist, Miss Winifred Dawes, who visited the church and was very taken by the legend of the boy king and his murder by a jealous sister and her lover.

In the event the first pageant, which depicted the actual legend, was based on a school play by a Stourbridge schoolmaster, Mr Geoffrey Pearson. This simple script for children was adapted for mainly adult performers by Mr George Smart, producer of the Halesowen-based drama group, OHADA.

This first pageant, "The Play of St. Kenelm", took place in 1962 and was quickly followed by "At the Spring of St. Kenelm" in 1963, which showed various pilgrims visiting the shrine over the centuries. After a gap of three years, in 1966, the final pageant was "The Path of a Queen". This dealt with the aftermath of Kenelm's murder and Quendreda's subsequent disgrace.

All three pageants were written and produced by George Smart.