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Over 70 churches to take part in ‘Open Church’ weekend Churches across Bassetlaw and Newark & Sherwood areas will be giving a special welcome to visitors on the first weekend in July, as more than 70 churches take part in an Open Churches weekend. The special weekend, being launched under the umbrella of the Diocese of Southwell & Nottingham’s Church History Project, is being piloted this summer and will run on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th July 2010. Some of the churches will simply be opening their doors to visitors, while others are running a host of activities and events to coincide with the weekend. Open Churches coordinator, Heather Sirrel, said; “Everyone is welcome – families, walkers, historians, pilgrims, locals, tourists, or the just plain curious... it’s a fantastic opportunity to come to see these buildings and simply soak up the heritage – both architectural and spiritual.” Several of the churches will be opening especially for the weekend and it will be a unique opportunity to visit some hidden gems, including St Mary & St Martin Blyth, which was originally a monastery and has been described as the ‘Jewel of North Nottinghamshire’. It has an amazing Doom painting, medieval screen paintings and splendid Victorian stained glass windows. At St Peter’s, Headon-cum-Upton, there is a chance to see the oldest bell frame in the county, which dates back to the 15th century and tomb of one Simon de Headon, Sheriff of Nottingham in 1259 and the one famed as Robin Hood’s arch enemy. St. Michael’s, Retford, is having various food tastings – the most interesting being locally made chocolate and arrange of special cheeses. There’s the possibility of ice cream too as is a Gospel choir concert on Saturday evening. St. Swithun’s, Wellow, will join in the 60th anniversary of the Maypole celebrations with a display of the dresses in the church. Worksop Priory will also be joining in and is listed as one of ‘England’s Thousand Best Churches’, with its unique 14th century gatehouse and shrine. Further south at St Mary’s, Blidworth, there are host of artefacts and interesting carvings in the church. It is also fabled that Will Scarlett, one of Robin Hood’s men, is buried in the churchyard. At St Laurence, Norwell, the church will offer visitors a grass labyrinth to wander through and various displays in and around the church will invite visitors to explore the theme ‘what is life?’ At Southwell Minster the cathedral will be open as usual over the weekend, but visitors will be in for an extra treat with a special exhibition, showing that it isn’t just Robin Hood that comes from Sherwood Forest. ‘Forest 2 Furniture’ will be displaying a range of handmade items of furniture, all designed and made in our very own Sherwood Forest. The exhibition will run from Friday 2nd July until 29th July in the Cathedral Chapter House. If the pilot weekend is successful, organisers hope to roll out the project more widely across the county. Director of Partnerships and Mission for the Diocese of Southwell & Nottingham, the Revd David McCoulough, said: “We are so fortunate to have such a rich variety of historical buildings in our towns and villages to visit. Places of prayer and worship, centres of community life and service, buildings of historical and architectural significance. This weekend represents an initial start for tourism and we are delighted that more than 70 churches are getting involved.” Details of the weekend are available on www.southwell.anglican.org or contact heather.sirrel@southwell.anglican.org
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