Nostalgic pictures of May Morning in Oxford over the years

Thousands of people lined up on the streets of Oxford, from the High Street to the Plain Roundabout, to hear the Magdalen College Choir welcome the sunrise with music.

It’s a tradition that has gone back half a millennium, with only vague ideas about how it began, but a reliable turnout of locals, students and visitors alike for the early start.

Jodie Spencer on the shoulders of her boyfriend at May Morning, 2014 (Image: Mark Hemsworth)

READ MORE: Crowds of 18,500 people celebrate May Morning in Oxford

This time on Looking Back, we’ve gathered some of our favourite pictures from May Morning in the last decade or so, representing just a fraction of this long history.

Students up all night into May Morning on Magdalen Bridge, 2014 (Image: Mark Hemsworth)

We have images of sleepy students on Magdalen Bridge clearly on the other side of an all-nighter, and incredible commitments to costumes in this gallery.

The traditional Morris dancers are also featured, as are musicians and choirboys – pictured at the top of the tower.

Take a look back at this May Morning gallery from the Oxford Mail archive.