Quire Information

Most Quires (except where noted) have practices open to visitors by arrangement (please tel or email) and membership is open to all.

Abbreviations: WG = West Gallery; SH = Shapenote

When emailing replace -AT- with @ before posting

Beaminster Gallery Quire (Dorset) - a costumed quire (mainly WG) meets weekly in Broadwindsor. Performances: concerts, church services and Beaminster Festival.

Contact: Ron & Pauline Emett 01308 868377   email
Musical Director: Ron Emett

Bedford Gallery Quire - a costumed quire (WG and SH) meets twice monthly in Bedford. Performances: concerts, church services, festivals and workshops.

Contact: Ken Baddley 01462 713511   email
Musical Director: Ken Baddley

Borders Harmony (Northumberland) - A non-costumed quire (WG only) meeting on Friday evenings in Berwick-upon-Tweed. Performances: concerts and church services.

Contact: Pat Oldale 01890 750939   email
Musical Director: Mary Wylde

Bristol Harmony - A new quire (WG only) meeting on Friday evenings in Bristol. For more details click HERE.

Contact: Toby Parker 01117 9243083   email or Linda John, tel. 0117 9327107
Musical Director: Toby Parker

Called to be Saints (Bristol area) - A non-costumed quire (WG, SH and folk) meeting Saturday afternoons monthly in Bristol. Performances: concerts, festivals, gala days, harvest suppers and local workshops. The quire organises an annual Villages Tour.

Contact: Eileen Wilson 01275 852942   email
Musical Director: Eileen Wilson

Chiltern West Gallery Quire (Home Counties N of London) - A costumed quire (WG mostly) meeting on Saturday afternoons monthly at various locations. Practices are open to visitors by arrangement and membership is open to all. Performances: concerts, church services and festivals.

Contact: Mike & Antonina Spittal 020 7263 7418 email
Musical Director: lan Cutts

Christminster Singers (Oxfordshire) - A non-costumed group practising irregularly - WG, SH, folk songs, new compositions and Tudor music. Practices are not open to visitors and membership is by invitation only. Performances: concerts and music festivals.

Contact: Dave Townsend 01865 714778 email
Musical Director: Dave Townsend

CDs: William Knapp: West Gallery Anthems and Psalms see details
Let the Echo Fly, The Story of West Gallery Music - see details

The Cwmbach Quire (Herefordshire / Powys border) - A new quire, formed in January 2007. A non-costumed quire (mostly WG, some SH and folk), meet fortnightly on Friday evenings at Cwmbach, nr Glasbury on Wye. Performances: concerts, church and folk events. Some performances accompanied by The Cwmbach Quintet.
Contact: Dave Newell / Cheryl Christopher 01497 847676   email
Musical Director: Dave Newell

The Gladly Solemn Sound (North Lancashire) - A non-costumed quire (mostly WG) meeting weekly on Wednesday evenings in Lancaster. Performances: concerts, festivals and a wedding.

Contact: Paul Guppy 01524 68621   email
Musical Director: Paul Guppy

CD: Repeat Their Sounding Joy - see details
It is hoped to record another CD during 2005

Gloster Gallery Quire (Gloucestershire)- A costumed quire (WG only) meeting fortnightly on Sunday afternoons in Gloucester.

Contact: John Thorn 01452 616326 email
Musical Director: John Thorn

The Grace Darling Singers (Manchester and Cheshire) - more a choir than a quire, meets monthly on Sunday afternoons in Poynton, Cheshire (WG and SH). Performances: concerts.

Contact: Sally Drage 01260 270217 email
Musical Director: Sally Drage

Immanuel's Ground - The quire meets on the 2nd, 4th and 5th Wednesdays each month at Warwick (WG, some SH). Performances (some costumed, some not): concerts, church services, private functions and pub sessions.

Contact: Ian & Barbara Meddoms 01926 492945 email
Musical Director: Edwin Macadam

The John Moore Quire (West Midlands and Shropshire) - A non-costumed quire (WG only) meeting monthly on the 3rd Sunday in Donington, Shropshire. Performances: concerts, church services, Bridgnorth Folk Festival and workshops.

Contact: Rita Powell 01952 883475 email
or: Isabella Ashman 01902 441434 email
Musical Director: Liz Raymont

Joyful Noise - A non-costumed quire (WG and SH) meeting on the 1 st and 3rd Sundays each month in Newcastle upon Tyne. Performances: concerts, church services and workshops.

Contact: Win Stokes 01912 575918 email
Musical Director: Paul Gailiunas

Kettering Camerata (Northamptonshire) - A mainstream choir which performs some West Gallery music by composers from their area.

Book: West Gallery Christmas Music from Northamptonshire - see details

The Larks of Dean Quire (mid Lancashire) - A non-costumed quire (mainly WG) meeting on the 1st &3rd Sundays each month in Bury, Lancs. Performances: concerts, church services and workshops.

Contact: Jean Seymour 01617 611544 email
Musical Director: Jean Seymour

London Gallery Quire (London inside the M25) - A non-costumed quire (WG only) meeting every other Wednesday evening during term time at St James Church, Garlickhythe, London. Performances: Church services, workshops and concerts/lecture recitals

Contact: Stella Hardy 020 7515 4639 email
Musical Director: Francis Roads

The Madding Crowd (Hampshire) - A costumed quire (mainly WG) some SH and contemporary music) meeting every Sunday evening in Chandlers Ford, near Winchester. Guest night for visitors is the 1st Sunday monthly. Membership is by invitation. Performances: concerts, church services, folk festivals, English Heritage events and Going the Rounds.

Contact: Brenda Bennett 01962 866963 email
Musical Director: Mike Bailey

CD: Hark, Shepherds, Hark - see details

The Marsh Warblers (Kent) - A costumed quire (WG, glees & traditional songs) meeting on the 1st, 3rd & 5th Tuesdays each month in Tenterden. Performances: concerts, workshops and church services.

Contact: David Dedrick 01580 763377 email
or Tony Singleton 01580 753431 or email:
Musical Director: Tony Singleton

Norfolk Gallery Quire - Recently formed (WG and folk), meets on the 2nd & 4th Mondays of each month in Castle Acre, Norfolk. Performances: concerts and church services.

Contact: Chris Gutteridge 01760 755993 email
Musical Director: Chris Gutteridge

Purbeck Village Quire (Dorset) - A costumed quire (WG only) meeting weekly on Monday evenings in Wareham, Dorset. Performances: concerts, church services and Swanage Folk Festival.

Contact: Rollo Woods 01929-422789 email
Musical Director: Chris Pullen

CDs: Round the Year with the Village Quire - see details
Christmas in Purbeck - see details

Rodhuish Gallery Singers (Somerset) - A costumed quire (mainly WG) meeting monthly on the 1st Friday at Carhampton, near Minehead; membership is at the discretion of the Musical Director. Performances: concerts, church services and illustrated lectures.

Contact: Hilary Binding 01643 821704 email
Musical Director: David Brown

Sussex Harmony - A costumed quire (WG and SH) meeting Thursday evenings near Lewes. Performances: concerts, church services and festivals.

Contact: Jan &Dave Green 01273 887958 email
Musical Director: Rachel Jordan

Cassette Tape: Brighton Festival - see details
Book: The Singing Seat - see details

The Thomas Clark Quire - A costumed quire (WG, glees and catches) which meets twice each month in Tunbridge Wells. Performances: concerts and lecture-recitals.

Contact: Meg Crane 01892 532712 email
Musical Director: Barry Tucker (guest conductor: Helen Mitcham)

Tranter's Party (Cotswolds) - A non-costumed quire (Mainly WG, some SH) meeting irregularly on Sunday afternoons Condicote, near Stow on the Wold, to prepare for occasional local performances. New members are very welcome.

Contact: Caroline Ungoed-Thomas 01451 830537 email
Musical Director: Annette Smith

Tuesday Occasionals (Derbys., Notts and Leics)- A non-costumed quire (WG and SH) meeting Tuesdays weekly. Performances: concerts, church services folk festivals and workshops.

Contact: Helen Brown 01332-768274 email
Musical Director: Helen Brown

Vital Spark (Worcs and Herefs) - A non-costumed quire (WG and SH) meeting on Wednesday evenings in West Malvern Village Hall; membership is by invitation. Performances: concerts, church services and festivals.

Contact: Sue Smith 01905 423488 email
Musical Director: John Williams

CDs: Vital Spark present Vital Spark see details
There Were Shepherds - see details

Washaway West Gallery Choir (Cornwall) - A non-costumed choir (mainly WG) meeting on the lst Monday monthly in Washaway, Cornwall; membership is by invitation. Performances: services and concerts.

Contact: Peter Meanwell 01208 78393 email: Linda Collins - email
Musical Director: Peter Meanwell

The West Gallery Quire (Devon) - A costumed quire (WG and contemporary music) meeting on alternate Tuesday evenings, 7.30 - 9.30 pm, at St Lawrence's Chapel, Threshers, Crediton. Practices are open to visitors by arrangement and membership is open to all. Performances have included concerts church services, folk and civic arts festivals and a wedding.

Contact: Alan Weeks 01404 822028 email
Musical Director: Claire Willman

The William East Quire (Leics, Rutland and S Lincs) - A costumed quire (WG and SH) meeting on Friday evenings in Ketton. Performances: concerts and church services.

Contact: Mary Cade 01780 720521 email
Musical Directors: Sue Glover, Mary Cade, David Moore, Philip Riley, Stewart Heyday
MP3 recordings of the quire can be heard HERE

Wolds Apart West Gallery Quire N Lincs and S Yorks) - A non-costumed quire (WG only) meeting on the 2nd Sunday monthly in St.pauul's, Sculcoates, Hull. Performances: church services and concerts.

Contact: Gordon Corrick 01482 805804
Email: Marilyn Jackson 01724 842481
or Roger Hateley email
Musical Director: Gordon Corrick

Overseas Quires

Holy Family (RC Parish) Choir - A costumed quire meeting on Wednesday evenings in Lindfield, Sydney, New South Wales, AUSTRALIA. Performances: concerts, church services, Music Festivals. a wide selection of church music. Contact: James Forsyth +612 9437 1162 email
Musical Director: James Forsyth

The West Gallery Quire, Boston, Massachussetts, USA - A non-costumed quire (WG only) meeting monthly at St Mary's Church, Newton Lower Falls, MA. Performances: concerts, church services and folk festivals.

Contact: Bruce Randall 010 1978 373 5852 email
Musical Director: Bruce Randall