The Bristol Waites - Medieval & Renaissance Music

About the waites

From medieval times up to the early 19th century, almost every major British town and city employed a small band of musicians, usually called Waits, Waites, or even Waytes. Their duties varied, but they included playing their instruments through the town at night, waking the townsfolk on dark winter mornings by playing under their windows, welcoming important visitors by playing at the town gates, and leading the Mayor’s procession on civic occasions. The Waites were required to play many different instruments, but they were particularly known for loud wind instruments – shawms, curtals, cornetts, sackbuts, bagpipes. They were often attired in colourful liveries, and in some cases wore silver chains. Most continental European countries had their equivalents of waites. In Holland they were called “Stadspijpers”, in Germany “Stadtpfeifer” and in Italy “Pifferi”. 

The Bristol Waites aims to give a flavour of this lost musical tradition, playing on reproductions of original instruments of the time. We are members of The International Guild of Town Pipers, whose website provides a wealth of information and links to other member groups at home and aboad.