Triennial Dinner, Saturday 13th September 2025
Event has now expired, Dinner tickets have now sold out
We are now fully booked for the dinner but please contact Penny Sharpe the Assistant Secretary if you would like to be put on a wait list, in case we have some drop outs
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The Society of Royal Cumberland Youths is holding its 278th Anniversary Dinner in Oxford, on Saturday September 13th 2025, at Merton College, Merton Street, Oxford, OX1 4JD.
The evening will start in the Chapel, for those who would like some music, with a half hour organ recital at 6pm by David Warick, a former student of the college.
Pre-dinner drinks will be from 6:30pm, in the Fellows' Garden, just around from the Chapel. If weather is inclument we will gather in the Ante-Chapel. Guests will sit down to dine in The Dining Hall at 7:30pm, with speeches following the dinner at around 9.30pm.
Merton College is located in the heart of Oxford, in the southeast corner of the city, close to the River Cherwell and Christ Church Meadow. The college is known for its beautiful medieval and 17th-century buildings, as well as its extensive gardens. The magnificent Dining Hall, built in 1277, features traditional college-style seating (ie benches as well as chairs), an original wrought iron oak door, and has hosted many notable figures over the centuries, including Queen Elizabeth I.
Dinner tickets are sold out, and there is a wait list. They are priced at £75, which includes a welcome drink, three course meal, drinks with dinner, and tea or coffee.
While the meal includes wine, the Marquee on the Chestnut Lawn will be open all evening for the purchase of drinks, including 4 barrels of real ale, until 11.45pm. We will need to leave by midnight.
If you have a special dietary requirement, please contact David C Bath the Honorary Secretary. We are looking forward to seeing as many members there as possible, so please get together parties of your friends and fellow ringers for this very special occasion in a unique venue.
There will be peal attempts on Friday pm and Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon probably a midday start.
The Friday pub will be the King's Arms, 40 Holywell Street, OX1 3SP, for both food and beverages.
The pre-Dinner pub on Saturday will be St Aldate's Tavern, 108 St Aldate's, Oxford OX1 1BU OR The Bear Inn, 6 Alfred St, OX1 4EH, a little closer.
Sunday service ringing details are as follows:
- Christ Church (12, 31-0-23) from 10:00 to 11:00. Ringers must sign in at the Porters' Lodge before heading across to the tower.
- St Giles (8, 14-0-1) from 9:45 to 10:30. Contact John Pusey: johnguypusey@hotmail.com, 07840 866834 in advance.
Dress code is Black Tie optional. We usually have a mix dress lengths.
Please note that the dinner is on the same weekend as Oxford Open Doors, so it may be wise to book accommodation promptly. The city is always very busy on that weekend.
Sign up and pay
Logged in members can sign up for peal attempt and meal. (If you can't see the link to sign up here, and you have a log-in to this site, you can log in here, then you can sign up; alternatively by ticking the paper list on Wednesday or please email Penny Sharpe the Assistant Secretary.)- Peal attempt: signup has now expired
- Dinner tickets have now sold out
Payment
You can pay Penny Sharpe the Assistant Secretary directly, by cash or cheque (£75 per person). Alternatively, you can pay by telephone banking, online banking (also £75 per person) or use the PayPal form below (which incurs a small handling fee)..
Please notify Penny Sharpe the Assistant Secretary, if you have paid by telephone banking, online banking or paypal.