St Michael’s in Tilehurst – a church has been meeting on the site since 1189AD Lynda Bowyer Photography
The pews, windows, altar and font brought forth an explosion of colour recently as St Michael’s Church, Tilehurst, held a very special Flower Festival.
This year celebrates 825 years of worship at St Michael’s on New Lane Hill, Tilehurst, and ladies from many churches and flower clubs across the area joined together to create the many magnificent floral displays for the three-day event, held over the last weekend of September.
It launched with a Floral Concert, held at the church on the evening of Friday, September 26.
Music by Strauss, Faure and Britten was performed, along with Erica Eloff’s superb soprano voice accompanied by Jo Miller-Shepherd on piano.
The church was then opened over the weekend for visitors to come and look at the floral displays on show. Drinks, light refreshments and afternoon teas were also available across the weekend.
On the Sunday morning, a special service was held where the Archdeacon of Berkshire, the Venerable Olivia Graham, was the guest preacher.
There has been a church dedicated to St Michael on its Tilehurst site since 1189 – around 70 years after Reading Abbey was founded.
The monks of Reading Abbey served at St Michael’s Church until the Dissolution. The oldest part of the present church is the south aisle, now called the Lady Chapel, which was built around 1300. In 1542, the parish was transferred from the Diocese of Salisbury to the Diocese of Oxford.
To find out more about St Michael’s Church, visit its website at www.stmichaeltilehurst.org.uk.
Last modified on Wednesday, 01 October 2014 11:59
