The English Haydn Festival, celebrating its 30th anniversary year, seeks to promote the music of Joseph Haydn and other great eighteenth century composers. The Festival was first set up by violinist John Reid in collaboration with Professor Robbins Landon, with the intention of providing live performances of classical music to a rural community.

​​St Mary Magdalene Church, with its wonderful acoustics, is set in the beautiful hill-top market town of Bridgnorth overlooking the River Severn and provides a magnificent setting for the Festival. It was designed by Thomas Telford and built in 1792 at a time when Haydn was spending his celebrated years in London.