St Michael's Church dates from Norman times, but the surrounding yew trees are much older - older than Christianity itself. This could be a sign that it was built on a pagan site. The dedication to the fighting Archangel Michael is often a sign that a site has been rededicated to Christianity. There is a large standing stone in the graveyard which has cup and ring marks incised in it, thought to be symbols of an ancient and now forgotten shamanic religion.
The Church is still the centre of village life when it comes to christenings, weddings and funerals. All these rights of passage are marked by Reverend Dave Coburn. The church gets a good turn out at family service at 11 o'clock each Sunday morning and Evensong is relatively well attended in the summer. Of course Christmas Eve's Midnight Mass usually has the church overflowing with festive song and merry parisheners. Easter Sunday is a lovely service with the church decked with daffodils and spring flowers. Children lead the service for the Harvest Festival and the farming community does the vicar proud with baskets of apples, pears, bread, butter and all the fruits of the bountiful earth.
No comments:
Post a Comment