Win tickets to see the Mediaeval Baebes at Stoke Minster this Christmas

Win one of two pairs of tickets to see the Mediaeval Baebes bring their 30th Anniversary Tour to Stoke Minster this December.

Two pairs of tickets are up for grabs to see the internationally acclaimed choir light up Stoke Minster this December, and entering couldn’t be easier.

Thirty years ago, a group of friends slipped into a London cemetery at midnight, dressed in flowing white gowns and crowns of ivy, and sang madrigals together under the stars. It was a slightly unusual way to start a band, but it worked. That night was the beginning of the Mediaeval Baebes, now one of the most distinctive vocal groups of modern times.

To mark three decades of haunting harmonies, the Baebes are bringing their 30th Anniversary Tour to Stoke Minster on Saturday 19 December, and we have two pairs of tickets to give away.

Formed in 1996 by musical director, composer and producer Katharine Blake, the group has released 12 studio albums and won an Ivor Novello Award for their performance on the BBC’s The Virgin Queen. They’ve picked up two Emmy nominations and a Royal Television Society award for the theme to ITV’s Victoria, and topped the classical charts along the way.

Their travels have taken them across the UK, the United States, Canada, Asia and Europe, singing everywhere from castles and caves to cathedrals and the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury. They’ve performed at the Royal Albert Hall, toured with Jools Holland, supported Michael Flatley in Hyde Park, and even sung on Iggy Pop’s Radio 6 Christmas Day special.

Their sound is like nothing else. Katharine Blake sets mediaeval and romantic texts to original scores, sung in an array of ancient languages and accompanied by a wonderful collection of early and folk instruments. The subject matter is often gloriously dark: death, unrequited love, the futility of possessions and, our personal favourite, the dangers of vinous hallucinations.

Each concert opens with a torchlit procession and a fanfare of mediaeval instruments and drums, and the Stoke Minster show will feature songs from their latest album, The Spinning Wheel. Released in February 2026 to celebrate their 30th anniversary, it’s a collection of twelve songs inspired by the months of the year, journeying from frosty winter laments to the hazy longing of high summer.

Ancient and new, eerie and beautiful, and all set in one of the city’s most atmospheric buildings. A rather special way to start Christmas.

How to enter

To be in with a chance of winning, simply sign up to The Staffordshire Signal newsletter here: Subscribe for free

Already a subscriber? You don’t need to do a thing, you’re automatically entered!

Two winners will be drawn at random from our newsletter subscribers after the competition closes at 11.59pm on Friday 20 November 2026. Each winner receives a pair of tickets.

Can’t wait to find out if you’ve won? Tickets and more information are available at www.mediaevalbaebes.co.uk

Terms and conditions

1. The prize is two tickets to the Mediaeval Baebes 30th Anniversary concert at Stoke Minster on Saturday 19 December 2026. There are two prizes available.
2. To enter, you must be subscribed to The Staffordshire Signal newsletter by the closing date. Existing subscribers are entered automatically.
3. The competition closes at 11.59pm on Friday 20 November 2026.
4. Winners will be selected at random from all eligible subscribers and notified by email. If a winner does not respond within seven days, an alternative winner may be drawn.
5. Winners’ names will be shared with the concert organisers and placed on the guest list. Winners simply give their name at the door for entry.
6. There is no cash alternative.
7. The prize is non-transferable and subject to the availability of the event. Travel and other expenses are not included.
8. Open to UK residents aged 18 and over.
9. The Staffordshire Signal’s decision is final.

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