Greatford Church

The ecclesiastical parish of Greatford is currently one of the seven parishes which form the Uffington Group of Churches, whose Rector is the Revd Carolyn Kennedy (01780 481786).

Greatford Parish Church (located in Church Lane towards the west of the village) is dedicated to St Thomas Becket.

The Church is largely Early English (twelfth century) with traces of Norman work in the north wall.  It is not known to whom the church was dedicated prior to the murder of Thomas Becket in 1170 and his canonisation in 1173.

In the North Transept there is a memorial to Dr Willis, referring to him curing King George III.

A service of Holy Communion is normally held in Greatford Church on the second and fourth Sundays of each month at 9am, and at the same time on Christmas Day and Easter Day.  Traditionally there is also a Carol Service in Greatford Church on Christmas Eve at 6pm.
In addition, an informal service is normally held on the second Sunday of each month at 4pm (but not in August or September this year) – alternating between Greatford Village Hall and Braceborough Village Hall.  Details are published in Towers & Spires.  

Services in coming weeks are:
Sunday 22 August: 9am Holy Communion
Sunday 29 August: 10:30am Holy Communion - Uffington Group Service
Sunday 12 September: 9am Holy Communion

Church Flowers (for August):  Kate Sumner
Church Cleaning:  Elizabeth Ashby and Scilla Campbell

Bellringing: 
The August meeting at Greatford may be postponed /changed or cancelled as many people are on holiday:  contact Lois on 560437 prior to 3rd August to confirm.
Other forthcoming events:
16th August – ringing at Peterborough Cathedral from 7 – 9 pm.
21st August – Heydour 7-9pm.

Flying the Flag:  Would you like to have the flag (either Union Flag or St.  George’s flag) flown for a special occasion (eg a birthday, anniversary, confirmation, baptism, wedding etc) and at the same time raise some money for either the Church or the Village Hall?  A flag can be flown on the pole at the Village Hall (and raise money for the Village Hall) or on the pole at the end of Church Lane (by kind permission of Mr & Mrs John Czarnota) outside the Church, (and raise money for the Church).  Please contact either Cyril or Lois Webb on 01778 560437 or drop a note through the door, at 1 Old Bridge Cottage, directly opposite the Hare and Hounds pub.
Flying the Flag. You can help to raise funds for the Village Hall by having the Union Jack or the Flag of St George flown in honour of any special event. Please contact the Churchwardens in the first instance.

The recent repairs at the Church included the refurbishment of the weathercock – which required intrepid steeplejacks to scale the tower (as shown in the picture below).  The weathercock has now been regilded (by Nigel Ashby) in 23¾ carat gold.  It is made of copper and the steeplejacks think that it probably dates from the 1870s.

Photo by Lois Webb
Steeplejacks working on weathervane