30 Dec 2025
England’s patron saint was brought back to life time after time over the course of Boxing Day, as the St Albans Mummers continued a tradition of silly hokum first performed in 1967.
Back then a group of friends from St Albans Morris Men chose a play loosely based on the legend of St George and the Dragon which had been modified from an earlier text by “Neggy” Wilson, a schoolmaster in the village of Croxley Green, about 50 years before.
Since then the Mummers have been out every year – except for during the pandemic, when they had to make a video – bringing their audiences performances featuring knights in knitted armour, a giant with a big stick, a dodgy doctor and even the Queen of Egypt…
A number of venues around the city centre were selected for the original performances, and although some have remained in use ever since, others have changed as time has moved on.
This year they were at the St Albans Museum + Gallery, the White Hart Hotel, the west end of the Cathedral, Ye Olde Fighting Cocks and the Clock Tower.
Money donated at the performances is presented to charity.
All photos by John Andrews. More in this week’s issue of the St Albans Times.
