London Sacred Harp

All Day Singings

Our next all day singing in London will take place on the weekend of the 1st of November 2025 in Highgate.

Note: This is an exception for 2025 (our all day weekend is usually the last weekend in October, this is a one off exception).

For the most up to date details, visit the Facebook page for the event at this link: https://www.facebook.com/events/2140650233091602/

Friday 31st October:
– Singing School with Helen Brown
– Registration 19:00
– Singing School 19:30-21:30
– Highgate United Reformed Church, N6 6BA

Saturday 1st November:
– 2025 Denson (2025) All-Day Singing.
– Registration 10AM
– Singing 10.30-16.00.
– Highgate United Reformed Church, N6 6BA

Social (Saturday 1st November):
– Drinks (and food available to order) at the Salisbury Hotel 7.00pm – Late.
– Sacred Harp fancy dress competition (not compulsory, but potential prizes to be won!).
– The Salisbury Hotel, 1 Grand Parade, Green Lanes, Harringay Ladder, London N4 1J

Sunday 2nd November:
– Christian Harmony (2012) All-Day Singing.
– Registration at 13:00
– Singing 13:30 – 17:00
– Highgate United Reformed Church, N6 6BA

General Information

Dinner on the Grounds
We invite you to bring food to share for a dinner on the grounds. Please make sure your dish is fully prepared, as we will not be able to heat or prepare dishes before lunch.

Covid Policy
Negative lateral flow tests will be required to be shown each day whilst registering. Tests will be available at the door if needed.

Accessibility
The arranging committee want everyone, who would like to lead, to be able to. Please indicate, if you would like, on the registration cards if there’s anything we can do to make it easier for you to lead, e.g. someone to hold your book, a chair, or a cleared path for a mobility aid.

Highgate United Reformed Church
-Step free access to via a ramp and lift.
-Wheelchair accessible toilets
-Baby-changing facilities
-Parking available outside the venue

Salisbury Hotel (social venue)
– Step free access
– Wheelchair accessible toilets

For other All Day singings planned in the UK, visit the UK Sacred Harp calendar which can be viewed at the following link: http://sacredharp.uk

Details and photos from Past All Day singings are below:

  • Friday 25th October 2024: Composium
    • 7.30pm-9.30pm at Highgate United Reformed Church, N6 6BA.
    • Please send your shapenote compositions to paul.zaba@gmail.com on or before 20th October. Maximum 3 songs per composer.
  • Saturday 26th October 2024: 16th Annual Sacred Harp All-Day Singing
    • Registration 10am, Singing 10.30am-4.00pm at Highgate United Reformed Church, N6 6BA.
    • Dinner on the grounds, a bring-and-share lunch, will be at 12.30.
  • Saturday 26th October 2024: Social
    • 7.00pm til late at The Salisbury Hotel, N4 1JX.
    • Sacred Harp themed fancy dress competition.
  • Sunday 27th October 2024: 10th Annual Christian Harmony All-Day Singing 
    • Registration at 1.00pm, Singing from 1.30pm at Highgate United Reformed Church, N6 6BA.
    • Singing ends at 17:30

Travel & Accessibility

For location and accessibility information for Highgate United Reformed Church / Pond Square Chapel, please visit the following page: https://www.pondsquarechapel.org.uk/Groups/321206/Location.aspx

The Chapel is wheelchair accessible, with an accessible toilet on the main floor. The lower hall which we will use for lunch is accessed by some stairs, and a lunch table will be set up at the main level for anyone who needs it.

The address for the social is:

The Salisbury Hotel
Grand Parade Green Lanes
Harringay N4 1JX

Bring & Share Lunch, Saturday:

If you are able, please bring a pot luck style dish to share for our dinner on the grounds on Saturday, complete with serving utensils if possible.

Covid Protocols:

As with last year we will be asking everyone to take a lateral flow test before they attend each singing and demonstrate evidence of the negative test (e.g. a photograph taken at the time suggested by the test manufacturer) before entering the building. In order to protect other singers please do not attend the singing if you have symptoms of any respiratory illness, or have been in contact with someone who has had Covid in the previous 10 days. Masks are not required, but singers who wish to use one, or sit away from the group or near a source of ventilation are welcome to do so. If you test positive for Covid in the days after the singing please contact our email address so that we can anonymously let others who have attended know so that they can mitigate further risk if needed.

The 15th Annual London Double All-Day Singing 2023

Events from Thursday 26th – Sunday 29th October with our main All Day Singing on Saturday 27th October 2023.

Black and white poster graphic, text says: "London Sacred Harp Double All Day Singing, 28th & 29th October 2023". Surrounding the text is a folk art border with roughly carved tree branches, leaves, stars and plant motifs. A winding cloth banner forms the lower half of the border upon which the text reads "15th Annual".

Schedule:

  • Thursday 26th October: Sacred Harp
    Our monthly evening Sacred Harp singing at Christ Church, Blackfriars/Southwark SE1 8NY from 7.30pm. This may include a singing school TBC.
  • Friday 27th October: Composium
    We will sing from a submitted and curated collection of songs composed in the Sacred Harp style. At Highgate United Reformed Church, Highgate N6 6BA from 7.30pm.
  • Saturday 28th October: Sacred Harp Singing All Day
    At Highgate United Reformed Church, Highgate N6 6BA. Registration at 10am, singing from 10.30am – around 4pm. Bring and share dinner on the grounds.
  • Saturday 28th October: Evening Social & Costume Competition
    At the Salisbury Hotel, 1 Green Lanes, London N4 1JX from 7.30pm. A range of food is available, some of which can be pre-ordered if needed. For Halloween, there is a Sacred Harp themed costume competition!
  • Sunday 29th October: Afternoon Christian Harmony
    Singing from the Christian Harmony book from 1.30pm at Highgate United Reformed Church, Highgate N6 6BA.

Accessibility of venues:

All of our venues are wheelchair or level accessible with accessible toilets. If you have any queries or accessibility accommodations please email londonsacredharp@gmail.com before the event.

Composium:

To submit songs for the composium please email londonsacredharp@gmail.com before the 15th of October. We may not be able to sing every song depending on the number submitted, but we will hopefully manage one per composer especially those present at the singing.

Bring & Share Lunch, Saturday:

If you are able, please bring a pot luck style dish to share for our dinner on the grounds on Saturday, complete with serving utensils if possible.

Covid Protocols:

As with last year we will be asking everyone to take a lateral flow test before they attend each singing and demonstrate evidence of the negative test (e.g. a photograph taken at the time suggested by the test manufacturer) before entering the building. In order to protect other singers please do not attend the singing if you have symptoms of any respiratory illness, or have been in contact with someone who has had Covid in the previous 10 days. Masks are not required, but singers who wish to use one, or sit away from the group or near a source of ventilation are welcome to do so. If you test positive for Covid in the days after the singing please contact our email address so that we can anonymously let others who have attended know so that they can mitigate further risk if needed.

Facebook:

The Facebook event for the Double All Day 2023, where we will post updates and further details, can be found at the following link: https://www.facebook.com/events/1008971876781675/

We will also send out information via our mailing list which you can sign up to at the following link: https://mailchi.mp/4e77eef9bf07/newsletter-minutes-sign-up

Details and photos from Past All Day singings are below:

Image of the poster for the 2022 London Double All Day singing. Details include: Thu 27th Oct: Sacred Harp Thursday Denson Book Singing. Fri 28th Oct: Composium, Sat 29th Oct: Sacred Harp All Day held at Highgate United Reform Church N6 6BA. Evening Social featuring a performance from Sam Carter. Sun 30th Oct: Christian Harmony singing.

Photos below from previous all day singings:

A dark haired woman is standing inside the ‘hollow square’, surrounded by people seated in tenor, alto, treble and bass sections. She is leading a song with her hand raised, and all of the seated people are singing along while looking at her or their books. This takes place inside a church with yellow walls.
A standing woman leading a song, viewed from behind the seated tenor section.
A man and woman jointly lead a song, viewed from between the tenor and treble section.
A side profile view of the front row of tenor singers. Several men and women sitting in a row singing from Sacred Harp books that are sitting on their knees.
A close up, cropped photograph of an open Sacred Harp Denson book sitting open on a woman’s lap. The end pages of the book have been decorated with the name “Amy” in capital letters with flowers either side.
A side profile photograph of a man and woman singing and looking towards a song leader.
A man stands near a wall inside a church watching singers who are out of shot.
A man leads a song while holding a book, viewed from the tenor section.
A photograph taken over the shoulder of a curly haired woman, showing her sacred harp book open on her lap.
A woman in a striped top stands in the centre leading a song.
A side photo of a woman standing away from the hollow square, looking towards them (out of shot) and singing.
A woman holding a book and leading a song.
A candid photo of a woman smiling while chatting to other singers.
A photo of people mid conversation during the break between singing. A man is holding a baby on his shoulder and a woman is holding a paper cup.
A photo showing a group of singing smiling and chatting during the break.
A photo of a woman holding a paper cup and smiling at somebody out of shot.
A photo taken towards the wooden floor of the church, showing a person’s legs and feet, and a small black and white dog on a lead.
A young person holding up their hand and leading a song in the hollow square.
A side photograph showing some of the bass singers during a song.
A woman leading a song from the centre of the hollow square.
A side phot showing several men singing bass from their books.
A photo from behind the alto section, a woman is standing away from the hollow square and wearing a colourful dress. She faces away from the camera towards the singers.
A man with a beard leads a song from the hollow square while holding his song book.
A photo of some of the alto singers mid-song as viewed from the tenor section.
A photo of two women leading a song together.
A candid photo from far away showing two women at the arranging table, where the order of singers is decided. They are looking at papers on the table.
Two women seated at the back of the tenor section.
A man with a smart jacket and a moustache leads a song.
A woman with a red topand curly hair is smiling towards singers as she leads a song.
A photo showing people as they are moving around the church during the break.
Singers chatting during the break.
A view of the hollow square and arranging table as taken from a balcony high up in the church.
Four seated alto singers viewed from the church balcony.
A blurry, artistic picture of the stained glass window in the church.
A side view of a woman singing and holding a book. She is standing beside a vase of flowers.
A cropped photo of a woman leading a song, framed by two singers who are seated between the photographer and the subject.
Singers chatting during the break.
Side view of some tenors singing and beating time.
Side view of trebles seated, and singing.
View of seated singers from between the tenor and treble section.

London Double All Day, 2017. Photographs by Joyce Smith.