Songs of Consolation

In his dying days, the medieval knight, William Marshal (d.1219 and buried in Temple Church) sought comfort in his favourite songs and poetry. He was far from alone. This programme takes a journey through William’s world, listening into the places and communities he encountered, to explore the common thread connecting them all: the consoling powers of songs and poetry.

Staged in the Round Church, the programme is part of an innovative collaboration between performers from Siglo de Oro (dir. Patrick Allies), actors and readers, and scholars from the UKRI-funded Musical Lives project. Join them, as they transform Temple Church into a space of sonorous memory, bringing together performance of medieval French songs, Arabic poetry and Latin charters with narration by the Musical Lives team. Together, they bring out of the shadows of history stories of medieval men and women – William Marshal included – for whom songs and poetry offered ultimate comfort, joy, and connection.