THE choristers of Salisbury Cathedral were joined by a special guest to launch a virtual tour.

During lockdown a small group of choristers have been filming behind the scenes with the Cathedral’s social marketing officer, Shane Brennan, and chorister tutor Jake Reynolds, for a virtual Chorister’s tour of Salisbury Cathedral.

The youngsters are sharing the role of host with Alexander Armstrong, TV and radio presenter – and a former chorister himself.

The reason behind the creation of A Chorister’s Tour is that the event which traditionally kicks off the annual chorister recruitment season, Be a Chorister for a Day, was cancelled due to Covid. Faced with a recruitment challenge it was decided that if children could not come in to meet the choristers, then the choristers and Alexander Armstrong would have to take the Cathedral to the children.

The virtual tour markers take you to different points in the cathedral where Alexander Armstrong, and the Salisbury Choristers take you behind the scenes or share stories from history, like ‘how the flat mouse got to be in a Latin text book in the Library’, or information about the world’s oldest clock, the dipstick that measures the water under the Cathedral floor and the Bumping Stone which transforms probationers into full choristers.

Aimed at children in years 3 and 4, the virtual tour is a chance to learn fascinating facts, hear gruesome stories and the quirky chorister traditions.

For more information go to Salisbury Cathedral's website.