Author: Debbie Young

English author of warm, witty cosy mystery novels including the popular Sophie Sayers Village Mysteries and the Gemma Lamb/St Bride's School series. Novels published by Boldwood Books, all other books by Hawkesbury Press. Represented by Ethan Ellenberg Literary Agents. Founder and director of the Hawkesbury Upton Literature Festival. Course tutor for Jericho Writers. UK Ambassador for the Alliance of Independent Authors. Lives and writes in her Victorian cottage in the heart of the beautiful Cotswold countryside.

October 2020

Lisa Overton, FOSM Secretary, provides this monthly round-up of news.

It is very cheering to be able to attend services in our lovely church again, and we send sincerest thanks to Vicar Richard, Organist Ben and our Churchwardens for keeping our services going so well. We hope that before too long we may be able to sing once more. Sometimes we may have groaned at trying to heat, clean and maintain our very large parish church, but just as the moment it means that social distancing is no problem.

Tower Restoration Under Way

Many of you will now have seen the “wrapped” tower, visible for miles, which provides essential protection for the stonemasons who will be working their way down the tower walls in the coming weeks. Carrek, our conservation builders, are being tremendously helpful in letting us continue with worship and access to the churchyard and cemetery and we send them many thanks.

church tower from a distance
St Mary’s beneath its temporary veil

(Debbie Young chose the wrapped tower as the theme for her column in this month’s Parish News, which you can read online via her blog here.)

News of the Yews

The churchyard yews have been trimmed and look really magnificent. Many visitors to the valley and the church comment on the size and character of our yews and we should be justly proud of them, even if we don’t have quite as many as Painswick. 

There are many old country tales about yew and its uses, as well as its dangers. Old Jim Harford once told me that rubbing down a horse’s coat with fresh yew just before an agricultural show produced a gleaming coat. Do you have other folklore and tales about yew?

Can You Help?

We need to clear and clean the church gullies in the coming weeks. If anyone has some spare time to help with this on a fine day, it would be a great help. Please contact me if you can offer a hand.

Diary Date: Parochial Church Meeting

The APCM (Annual Parochial Church Meeting) will take place on Sunday 25th October following the service of Evensong. As the clocks go back that day, the service will start at 5pm with the meeting at 5.30pm. 

This Month’s Services

4th October – 9.30am – Holy Communion
7th October – 9.30am – Morning Prayer
11th October – 6pm – Evensong
14th October – 9.30am – Evening Prayer
18th October – 9.30am – Morning Praise
21st October – 9.30am – Morning Prayer
25th October – 5pm – Evensong
28th October – 9.30am – Morning Prayer
2nd November – 6pm – Remembering Our Loved Ones
4th November – 9.30am – Morning Prayer

Progress Report on the Bells

photo of Colin and Julia at the dumb bell
Colin training Julia on the dumb bell in his barn

The work on the new bells for St Mary’s Hawkesbury has begun with the formers complete along with the inscriptions, and the casting should also be complete now. They may even have been taken out of their moulds.

The pads for the steel frame have been constructed by parishioner Tim Watts, and we expect  the frame to go in around mid-September. We are hoping to have the bells in place before Christmas, but it may not be until early in the new yer.

The bells have all been named, and their names and inscriptions have been applied.

In the meantime, Hawkesbury Bell Ringers are practising on the dumb bell in Colin Dixon’s barn. Practice night is Tuesday from 6.30pm until 8.30pm. You are very welcome to join us. Phone Colin on 01454 299236 for more information.

September 2020

Tower Repairs

The face of St Mary’s has been covered up for the first time in many years as the structural repairs to the tower are started. The scaffolding will be in place until early in the near year.

Progress Report on New Bells

The new peal of eight bells has been cast and will be taken out of the casts in the next few days. Photos to follow! The bells will then be brought over to England to be tuned before they are hung over the winter.

This Month’s Services

The church is now open again for services, and this month’s rota is as follows:

2nd – 9.30am – Morning Prayer

6th – 9.30am – Holy Communion

9th – 9.30am – Morning Prayer

13th – 6pm – Evensong

16th – 9.30am – Morning Prayer

20th – 9.30am – Morning Praise

23rd – 9.30am – Morning Communion

27th – 6pm – Evensong