MP visits St George's Church ahead of patron day celebrations

The Friends of St George’s church in West Grinstead welcomed Arundel & South Downs MP Nick Herbert to the medieval parish church on Friday (15 April).

The MP met the volunteers during a visit to the church ahead of their preparations for a festival weekend.  The parish festival is celebrated each year around St George’s Day.  The weekend of events will take place in the church grounds and is the main fixture in the West Grinstead calendar.

Mr Herbert was given a tour of the church which has been in the parish for over one thousand years.  It has a long history of tradition rooted in local agriculture, Wealden forestry and the iron industry.  The names of parishioners, prior to 1820, remain painted onto the back of each pew.  The memorials within the building include works by Rysbach and Flaxman.

The Countryside Festival of Flowers will take place at the church from Friday 22 April through to Sunday 24 April.  On Friday evening there will be a choral recital of Faure’s Requiem and pieces by Handel and Haydn, with wine and canapes.  On Saturday and Sunday there will be a series of family fun events in traditional village style, including a dog show, terrier racing and tractor rides.

Mr Herbert said: “I was delighted to visit the historic church of St George’s and to meet the church warden, Neil Jacobsen and the Friends who work hard to maintain the building and raise funds for its upkeep.  It is one of the gems in my constituency, sitting in the beautiful hamlet of West Grinstead.

“Village festivals are a wonderful English tradition and I hope that many people will join the St George’s church celebrations on the weekend that we mark our patron saint’s day.”

ENDS

Notes

   1.      Photograph – Left to right - Neil Jacobsen, Nick Herbert and Andrew Campbell. 

   2.     For more information about the Countryside Festival of Flowers at St George’s parish church please contact Susie Jacobsen, FOSG, on 01403 711 763.

   3.     St George’s parish church is located on Steyning Road, West Grinstead, RH13 8LR.