St Peter and St Paul Church, in Church Lane in Peasmarsh, was home to the annual Flower Festival on May 27, 28 and 29. The Grade 1 listed church, lying about a mile south of the village, is sited on one of only two areas in the parish to rise above 65 metres, giving views of the Rother and Tillingham valleys. The building dates from 1070 and the tower was added in about 1170.
It is both beautiful and historic, surrounded by its churchyard with great trees overlooking it. It makes the most wonderful setting inside for all the flower arrangements, as well.
This year, the theme was song titles, and the arrangers had a lot of fun interpreting their favourite songs in different ways. Some seventeen people got out the oasis, secateurs and scissors and set to work with the flowers on Thursday and Friday to be ready for the Saturday morning opening. This was all but achieved, but a few people were still scurrying about adding final touches as 10am approached.
In addition, a team of people, led by Audrey Dent, was responsible for tasty homemade refreshments and a plant stall was opened along the edge of the entrance. Pam Colegrave ran a Children’s Corner, with a “bee hunt” for the little ones. This was actually made up of fifteen pictures of bees placed in the arrangements and on finding them all, a key ring with a bee tag attached was awarded. Children could make a small floral arrangement to take home, too and had a lot of fun.
In the evening, the Peasmarsh and District Ladies Choir performed, with Kay Young on the harp and a solo by Heather Coote. The director Lois Benton and accompanist Jennifer Als (also the plant stall organiser!) led their choir members through a varied programme from “ A Gaelic Blessing” (John Rutter) to “Hava nageela “(arr. Maurice Goldman).
None of this would have happened without the support of the Rector, and the sterling organisational skills of Deidre Bull, who never stopped working over the preceding days and was the waterer and general carer of the arrangements over the following three days. Ably assisted by Alex Boatwright-Smith and others, everything turned out beautifully, and the church was a picture full of colour, shape, texture and scent. “Oranges and Lemons” hung from the ceiling, “Any Old Iron” surrounded the font and the little window between the main part of the church and the altar hosted ” A Nightingale Sang”. It was a lovely way to finish a day.
Photos: Gillian Roder