Explore your local history and heritage. Free tours, events and activities for all the family.

Harvest Open Weekend at St Guthlacs Church, Passenham

Harvest Open Weekend at St Guthlacs Church, Passenham

Times
Saturday, 21st September 2019
12:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Map of the venue
St Guthlacs Church

Area
S E Midlands

Add to your calendar
0 Add to Outlook or other iCal calendar


17th Century carved choirstalls and wall paintings at St. Guthlacs, Passenham

 

Organised by: The Friends of St. Guthlacs

A beautiful and historical church in a rural setting open for visitors. Attractions include harvest decorations, church history display, bell ringing, live background music, and activities for children. Personal guides and written information about the church are available. Refreshments are on sale. Toilet facilities available.

St. Guthlacs is almost unique amongst English churches for its combination of 17th Century sacred wall paintings and carved choir stalls, Georgian box pews and gallery, and 14th Century five-bell tower. It stands on a site where there has been a church since Saxon times. It is part of the hamlet of Passenham, a rare surviving medieval landscape complete with buildings and barns, earthworks, ridge and furrow fields etc. It is grade 1 listed and figures in Simon Jenkins’ book of the best churches in Britain.

Despite surviving the upheavals of the Civil War the exceptional artwork of the Chancel was obliterated during the 18th century and remained undetected as the church fell into disuse, until the 1960s when it was rediscovered and subsequently restored. Since then, considerable efforts have been made by the Parish and the Friends of St. Guthlacs to bring this beautiful church fully back to life and to the attention of the communities in whose backyards it had become all but hidden.

It now provides fortnightly services and other opportunities for worship, and is beginning to develop as a community and heritage venue. Concerts, talks, exhibitions and open days are now held several times a year, and visitor numbers are beginning to increase. Funding is being sought to install servery and toilet facilities and additional accessibility features.

No pre-booking required. Guided tour provided on request. Maximum group for tour 15.

Location: Take Calverton Rd out of Stony Stratford towards Beachampton, Passenham Rd is on the right. Or, take A422 from Old Stratford roundabout towards Buckingham and turn left into Passenham Rd at the Deanshanger roundabout. Or (weather permitting) cross the river bridge and walk across the fields from the Stony Stratford millfield.

Access: Churchyard path is not paved and may be muddy and difficult for wheelchairs, pushchairs etc.  if the weather is wet.

On-site accessible toilets. Pushchair/pram friendly.

Contact: Secretary, The Friends of St. Guthlacs, Passenham email robingoodfellow68@gmail.com tel 01908 565544 or 01908 564725

Website: www.mkheritage.co.uk/wdahs/pass/docs/church/church.html

Facebook: www.facebook.com/FriendsofStGuthlacsChurch/