About
Why “Waytes”?
From medieval times up to the early 19th century, every British town and city of any note had a band of waytes. Their duties varied from time to time and place to place, but included playing their instruments through the town at night, waking the townsfolk on dark winter mornings by playing under their windows, welcoming Royal visitors by playing at the town gates, and leading the Mayor’s procession on civic occasions. As a result of the Municipal Corporations Act of 1835, waytes were abolished, though their name lingered on as Christmas Waytes, who could be any group of singers or musicians who formed a band in order to sing and play carols for money around their town or village at night over the Christmas period. It is these largely amateur musicians who have today become associated with the name “waytes”.