2011 Church Festival ‘Wedding Belles’
2011 Church Festival
The Patronal Festival of St Michael & All Angels was celebrated over the weekend of 1st & 2nd October. This year’s festival had the special theme -“Wedding Belles”, and centered on a wonderful exhibition of wedding dresses, memorabilia and photographs relating to weddings solemnised in this church over more than 60 years. The exhibits were beautifully set off by appropriately splendid flower arrangements.
Betty Dowdeswell stands alongside the Wedding Dress she wore on January 11th 1940 and a replica of her wedding bouquet
Marriage registers for the past 100 years were also of great interest.
The weekend visitors were also richly rewarded musically. Performances were given by The Lambourn Chimers, organist Stephen Holmes and, on Saturday evening, by The Wantage Male Voice Choir with soloist Emma Pooley.
Malcolm Rolfe, having conducted fascinating internal guided tours in previous years, decided to enthrall his audience this year with tales around the churchyard. His tour was followed by a Peal on the tower bells given by the Society of Royal Cumberland Youths.
