Nearly 200 children from six schools in Sherborne came together on Friday 13th June, as part of the Sherborne Pageant anniversary celebrations. They gathered for a parade through the centre of town, before assembling in Pageant Gardens to deliver a range of performances.

Each school chose a different historical event in Sherborne’s history, and dressed up from the period. Students from Sherborne Girls’ School marked the Sherborne witch trials from 1620-1659, and impressed audiences with their informative performance. They were followed by children from Sherborne Primary School, who had created train carriages for the parade, to mark the arrival of the railway in Sherborne in 1860.

Sherborne Prep School chose to commemorate the foundation of the Yeatman Hospital in 1874, with children dressed in Victorian costumes, and they gave a fantastic performance showcasing how this came to be. They were then followed by pupils from Sherborne Abbey Primary School who celebrated the last Sherborne Pageant, which took place in 1905.

Students from Sherborne School, marked the life of Alan Turing and his time spent at their school. And they were joined by students from Leweston School who remembered WWII and the bombs that fell on Sherborne.

Their performances included brilliant speeches from children as young as 7, through to songs and dances, celebrating Sherborne’s rich history.

Rhiannon Brenchley, a teacher at Sherborne Primary School who helped organised the event said “The children worked phenomenally hard on their historical events and all performed beautifully. We are so proud that they have been able to become a part of history themselves! Huge thanks must also go to the representatives from each school who collaborated so efficiently and kindly across the community and to the town council for their brilliant support – notably Taff Martin for his fantastic coordination behind the scenes”.

Cllr Jill Warburton, Mayor of Sherborne said “In 1905, Sherborne did something extraordinary. The whole town came together to celebrate its past with a spectacular pageant — one of the first of its kind in the country. But what made it truly remarkable wasn’t just the costumes, or the crowds, or the grand scale. It was the idea behind it: that everyone could be part of it. It reminds us that this town belongs to all of us. That we each have something to contribute.

It’s moments like this – when we gather across generations and backgrounds, in joy and community – that remind us why Sherborne is such a special place. Long may the spirit of the 1905 pageant live on!”

A special thanks to Rhiannon Brenchely for coordinating all of the local schools to make this such a special event for our town. Thanks also go to Sherborne Town Council for their vision and support, the Sherborne Summer Festival team, all the schools who took part, Executive Headteacher Ian Bartle, and Cllr Taff Martin.

(Words and images courtesy of Holly George, Head of Communications at SAST).