The Alnwick musicians who serenaded residents through the winter nights for centuries

In Alnwick from medieval times up until the 1830s there were Waites paid for by the Corporation of the town receiving an annual salary and an elaborate costly livery.
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Originally, they kept watch throughout the night – their name came from the German wayghtes/waytes (to watch) and played pipes every hour.

From the middle of the 1600s the pipes were replaced by violins or fiddles and they now performed a musical role.

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From Martinmas until January the Waites would start at midnight perambulating around Alnwick serenading the inhabitants with ‘caller’ shouting out the time.

The Alnwick Waites were musicians who serenaded residents through the winter months.The Alnwick Waites were musicians who serenaded residents through the winter months.
The Alnwick Waites were musicians who serenaded residents through the winter months.

Thomas Coward as a Waite would have played his violin at fairs, feast days, lead processions and other ceremonial events.

They would be there playing violins at the election of the town Mayor, would attend the ceremony for newly inducted Freemen of the town and play on November 5.

There would have been usually two Waites dressed in a blue coat with silver buttons bearing the town crest and yellow breeches.

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On one sleeve of the coat was a silver badge with St Michael killing the dragon, copied from the town seal.

A visit by York Waites to Thomas Coward's grave in Alnwick.A visit by York Waites to Thomas Coward's grave in Alnwick.
A visit by York Waites to Thomas Coward's grave in Alnwick.

They wore a vest of yellow trimmed with silver lace and buttons. A hat with a cockade and more silver lace completed the outfit.

Legend says that Michaelmas is the day that Satan was cast out of heaven by St Michael. He is said to have landed in a blackberry bush, and being incensed by the thorns, he breathed his fiery breath upon them. Blackberries picked after this date will taste sour!

On Christmas Day, Thomas along with another would escort the Mayor to St Michael’s church singing ‘Dame, dame, get up and bake your pies and let your maiden lie, on Christmas morning’.

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They would also attend the castle to play on festivals days in the dining room.

The gravestone of Thomas Coward, the last of the Alnwick Waites.The gravestone of Thomas Coward, the last of the Alnwick Waites.
The gravestone of Thomas Coward, the last of the Alnwick Waites.

On New Year’s Day Thomas would along with other Waites dressed in livery, call at every house in a prominent street like Fenkle Street to collect their Waites fee and could collect as much as £30.

Thomas (1784-1845) died at Pottergate where he had lived with his sister.

He lays buried on the left hand side of the path to the door of the chancel at St Michael’s Church.

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His gravestone is perhaps the one that most visitors will stop and read.

Alnwick historian Adrian Ions dressed as a town waite.Alnwick historian Adrian Ions dressed as a town waite.
Alnwick historian Adrian Ions dressed as a town waite.

He was an accomplished musician who had followed his less proficient father in playing the violin. Besides his musical talents Thomas was reputed to be a crack shot with a gun!

The headstone reads: ‘This stone was erected by his friends and admirers of Thomas Coward, musician and the last of the Waites of this ancient borough’.

It goes on to extol the virtue of his playing the violin.

The inscription was by Thomas Henry Bell, a close friend.

‘Mute is the music motionless the hand

‘That touched the magic bow the trembling strings

‘But memory hath embalmed those violin tunes

‘Which filled the enraptured ear charmed the soul.’

The Waites ceased to exist after the 1830s. This was a result of the Reform Act of 1832 being brought in by the Municipal Corporation.

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By Trish Jones and Colin Watson, St Michael’s Church, Alnwick.

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