The Pageant of Wimborne – Wimborne Drama Productions

Written By

L. H. Mottram

Where and When

16th June 1951 @ Redcotts Recreational Ground

The Plot

A Day in Our Town in the Year 1563
It is recorded that Her Gracious Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, visited the Manor of Canford – seat of my lord Mountjoy (and possibly what is known as Merley House) in June 1563. It was in 1563 that she renewed the ancient charter granted originally in 1496 to what had hitherto been called The Free Grammar School. This charter had been granted by King Henry V!!, largely through the influence and pressure exerted by his mother, The Lady Margaret Beaufort – the good Lady Meg’ of the present School’s Song.

Thet Her Majesty should both visit the district and renew the Charter in the same year makes it reasonable to assume that she performed both acts at one and the same time, for she was a far-seeing and business-like monarch. In any case, we have ventured to assume such for the purpose of this Pageant.

Furthemore, as it is well known and has frequently been recorded by the chroniclers of the time that the authorities in all places so visited were expected to provide some seemly entertainment for their august visitor (who would have been extremely annoyed if such had not been done), so we have attempted to recreate this air of festive jollity in such manor as our means allow. Thus follow, after the royal business of the day is concluded, Song, Dance and MAsque, so that Her Excellent Majesty may see how happy are her good people in this her beneficient reign. This having been done, an historic day for Wimborne’s ancient history ends – and another page has been turned towards that future which has produced the present, with these our plyers re-enacting it.