TOWN crier Anthony Church was proud to mark Shakespeare’s birthday in a tradition that was revived after more than 40 years.
The Cowley 60-year-old led a procession of dignitaries and Pegasus School pupils from Oxford Town Hall in St Aldate’s to the Painted Rooms in Cornmarket Street, where the Bard stayed between trips from Stratford to London.
Yesterday’s celebration, organisation by the Oxford Preservation Trust, was last marked in the 1960s. Mr Church said: “It was great to see the tradition revived.
“We should celebrate where possible the history of this country and Oxford is packed with history.”
Children from Pegasus School, in Blackbird Leys, sang a song in the Painted Rooms and dignitaries raised a glass to the playwright.
Debbie Dance, director of the Oxford Preservation Trust, said: “We were celebrating the 449th birthday of Shakespeare and we were relaunching an old event.”
The Painted Rooms at 3 Cornmarket Street are open to the public every day from 10am-4.30pm until Sunday. Visit oxfordpreservation.org.uk
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