ork Mystery (Corpus Christi) Plays are a magnificent example of medieval drama. Using the colourful language of medieval Yorkshire, they present the ‘history of the world’ from the mystery of God’s creation, through the birth, death and resurrection of Christ, to the Last Judgement.

To the people who first drew together to perform and watch the Plays, the battle between Good and Evil was not theoretical theology, but an all-pervading fact of life. Disease and sudden death were an ever-present threat.

The Plays taught a simple message, but not in a simple way. Written to appeal to all sections of the community, they were sophisticated, often lavish, always theatrical.

The Cycle of Plays is made up of a number of individual pageants. These separate episodes were originally presented by different guilds of craftsmen - which were also known as ‘mysteries’, hence the name of the Plays. Different guilds often presented highly appropriate stories, so for example the Shipwrights were responsible for the Building of the Ark, while the Butchers played the Death of Christ.

Revived in the ruins of St Mary’s Abbey in 1951 as part of the Festival of Britain, the Plays have been performed many times since in a variety of venues - always by an enthusiastic cast to an enthralled audience. This is indeed the ‘greatest story ever told’.