Pre-festival talk: What's in a song? (Shipston Song 2026)
St Kenelm's Church, Oxfordshire, OX7 4NN
Friday 18th September 2026
Shipston Song 2026 commences with a pre-festival talk from presenter Katy Hamilton, who will act as our guide into the world of ‘song’. For new audiences and experienced listeners alike, Katy will offer insights and an approachable introduction to this corner of classical music, as well as selected highlights of some of the repertoire we’ll hear this weekend.
Katy Hamilton - speaker
Duration: c.30 minutes
Venue: St Kenelm’s Church, Church Enstone, OX7 4NN
Access
Access to the church is through the churchyard, where ground can be uneven and possibly slippery if wet. We recommend you bring a torch for finding your way back to the car afterwards.
Directions to roadside parking on Little Tew Road:
what3words: nutty.excavates.salutes
GPS: 51.92364° N, 1.44829° W
Parking is extremely limited and reserved for residents on the village side of the church. We suggest you follow these directions and look out for signs on the day to make your way to church parking on Little Tew Road, where there is ample roadside parking and another entrance to the church.
Parking for the church is immediately on the verge on the left hand side, next to the wall and hedge. The entrance to the church is further down Little Tew Road via a wooden gate on the left, at the end of the stone wall.
Katy Hamilton - speaker
Duration: c.30 minutes
Venue: St Kenelm’s Church, Church Enstone, OX7 4NN
Access
Access to the church is through the churchyard, where ground can be uneven and possibly slippery if wet. We recommend you bring a torch for finding your way back to the car afterwards.
Directions to roadside parking on Little Tew Road:
what3words: nutty.excavates.salutes
GPS: 51.92364° N, 1.44829° W
Parking is extremely limited and reserved for residents on the village side of the church. We suggest you follow these directions and look out for signs on the day to make your way to church parking on Little Tew Road, where there is ample roadside parking and another entrance to the church.
Parking for the church is immediately on the verge on the left hand side, next to the wall and hedge. The entrance to the church is further down Little Tew Road via a wooden gate on the left, at the end of the stone wall.
- Coming on the A44 from Chipping Norton: just after you have come into Enstone, turn onto the B4030 signed towards Bicester. After a half a mile and a series of bends, you will see the sign for the Crown Inn pub. Do not turn off here; continue on past a series of cottages and another small left hand lane (do not turn off here either) and a long stone wall. Continue for 150 yards and take the next left (to ‘Little Tew’), just before the traffic calming chicane.
- Coming on the A44 from Woodstock: as you come into Enstone, just after the garage turn right at the crossroads onto the B4022, signed towards The Tews, Bicester and Church Enstone. After a mile, at a T junction turn left onto the B4030, signed towards Church Enstone. As you come into Church Enstone, there is a traffic-calming chicane. Turn right immediately after this, signed to ‘Little Tew’.
- Coming on the B4022 from the direction of Great Tew/South Newington: continue until you meet the B4030 at a T-junction. Turn right onto the B4030, signed towards Church Enstone. As you come into Church Enstone, there is a traffic-calming chicane. Turn right immediately after this, signed to ‘Little Tew’.
- Coming on the B4030 from Middle Barton: as you come in to Church Enstone, there is a traffic-calming chicane. Turn right immediately after this, signed to ‘Little Tew’.
