Norfolk Open Churches Week 2012, Saturday, August 4 to Sunday, August 12, celebrates the county’s beautiful, mainly medieval, historic churches. More than 400 historic churches across the county are open throughout the week, running a busy programme of special events and activities.

The week roars into life with the fifth annual Ecclesiastical Car Rally on the morning of Saturday, August 4. More than 60 cars, including two 1930s Rolls Royces depart Norwich Cathedral Close at 9.30am and head for St Andrew and St Peter Blofield via South Burlingham, Beighton, Reedham, Wickhampton and Hemblington.

This year’s Art Alive in Norfolk Churches exhibition, Artists and Angels, is at St Catherine’s Ludham all week, open daily 10am to 5pm. Maz Jackson, egg tempera artist and Sheila McDonald enamellist will be running workshops at the church on 4 and 5 August.

All Saints Tibenham has an intriguing exhibition, Keep It Clean! an exhibition on grime, stench and soap… open daily all week, 11am to 4pm.

The Norfolk Open Churches guide, featuring 440 churches, can be downloaded from www.norfolkopenchurches.com, or picked up from Tourist Information Centres. 
The Art Alive in Churches leaflet, a guide to visiting churches in the Broads by boat and Norman church trails in South Norfolk are also available from the website.

Jennie Hawks, Historic Places of Worship Support Officer, Diocese of Norwich said: “Norfolk is full of the most beautiful, mainly medieval churches, every one with a treasure to discover and a fascinating story to tell. Wherever you are in the county there is a church tower, from tiny Saxon parish churches to the great cathedrals of Norwich, the Minsters at Great Yarmouth and King’s Lynn and the Shrines of Walsingham. Open Churches Week is an excellent opportunity to discover churches on your doorstep or to venture further afield and explore our rural medieval gems.”

Open Churches Week Highlights

Ecclesiastical Car Rally, Saturday, August 4 – The week gets off to a ‘roaring’ start with the fifth annual Ecclesiastical Car Rally on Saturday, August 6. This all day rally features more than 60 cars. The oldest cars are Rolls Royce 1932, Rolls Royce 1935, Talbot 1936 and BSA Scout Tourer 1938. The rally leaves Norwich Cathedral Close at 9.30am, then heads to St Andrew and St Peter Blofield via South Burlingham, Beighton, Reedham, Wickhampton and Hemblington. The rally finishes with tea and a short service at Blofield. Cars arrive from 3.30pm with the service at 4.30pm.

St Catherine’s Ludham, NR 29 5QA, Saturday, August 4 to Sunday, August 12, open daily 10am to 5pm, Art Alive in Churches Artists and Angelsexhibition celebrating the rich cultural history in Norfolk’s medieval churches and focusing on the painting and carving of angels, combining medieval art with modern practice. The Artists and Angels exhibition features images of angels from Norfolk’s medieval churches photographed by Paul Hurst, along with historical interpretation from Professor Sandy Heslop, Dr Spike Bucklow and others. Maz Jackson, egg tempera artist and Sheila McDonald enamellist will run workshops on 4 and 5 August.

All Saints Tibenham NR16 1QB, Saturday, August 4 to Sunday, August 12, daily 11am to 4pm Keep It Clean! an exhibition on grime, stench and soap…The exhibition guide and tea or coffee is on offer for £2.

St Mary the Virgin Saxlingham Nethergate NR15 1TR, Saturday, August 4 to Tuesday, August 14, daily 10.30am to 4.30pm, Flower Festival

St Mary the Virgin Martham NR29 4PR, Saturday, August 4 to Saturday, August 11, 10am to 4pm (Sunday 12noon to 4pm), Year in the Life of St Mary’s exhibition.

SS Peter & Paul Shropham NR17 1EJ, Saturday, August 4 and Sunday, August 5, 10am to 5pm, open weekend ending with Choral Evensong sung by the Horatio Singers on Sunday at 6.30pm.

St Michael & All Angels Bunwell NR16 1SN, Saturday, August 4, 6.45pm for 7.30pm start, The Annual Bunwell Lecture, Edward Chaplin, CMG, OBE former Ambassador in Italy, Iraq and Jordan, will speak on ‘Dealing with Dictators’. Tickets are £8 on the door or £6 in advance (includes refreshments before the lecture starts, tel. 01953 788 283.

St Andrew’s Great Ryburgh NR21 0DZ, Saturday, August 4 to Sunday, August 12, 10am to 5pm (Sunday 12noon to 5pm), exhibition about the church, celebrating links with Sir Ninian Comper who reordered the chancel in 1912.

St Andrew’s North Burlingham NR13 4TA, Saturday, August 4 to Sunday, August 12, 10am to 4pm, celebrating Art Alive in Churches, Artists and Angelssee 16 roof angels, and one on the Rood screen.

St Mary Haddiscoe NR14 6PB, Sunday, August 5, 2pm to 5pm, archives and family history exhibition and Songs of Praise service at 6.30pm.

St Benet’s Abbey, Sunday, August 5 – The Bishop of Norwich, who is also Abbott of St Benet’s, conducts the annual service at the abbey at 3.30pm.

St Mary’s North Elmham NR20 5JU, Sunday, August 5, tea and scones and open church and Sunday, August 12 at 6.30pm, guided walk round the church and graveyard, tel. 01362 668435.

St Andrew and St Peter, Blofield NR13 4NA, Sunday, August 5 at 7.30pm, concert with St Gregory’s Orchestra, Bizet, Dvorak and Gilbert & Sullivan, ticket £6 on the door (includes refreshments).

St Mary’s Church, Ditchingham NR35 2JS, Tuesday, August 7 to Sunday, August 12, 11am to 4pm, Celebrations! to include the Jubilee, London 2012 and 350 years of the Book of Common Prayer; displays, craft stall, parish records, tower open, art display and refreshments.

All Saints Church, Salhouse NR13 6HD, Thursday, August 9 to Sunday, August 12, 10am to 5pm, Flower Festival celebrating London 2012 and concert with Poringland Ensemble, Sunday, August 12 at 7.30pm (retiring collection).

Binham Priory NR21 0DB, Saturday, August 11, 7.30pm, concert with Heath Quartet, featuring Mendelssohn, Britten and Tchaikovsky. Ticket £14 tel. 01328 830361.

St Mary’s Syderstone PE31 8SD, Saturday, August 11 to Wednesday, August 15, 12noon to 4.30pm, Festival of Flowers, also Songs of Praise service, Sunday, August 12 at 6pm.

 
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