Recent Events
We were involved in a warm and sunny heritage day at Blofield Church, just east of Norwich, on Saturday, 10 September. This is a large church which gave plenty of room for re-enactors, displays and workshops – and there was great enthusiasm locally, making the day an outstanding success, especially for the teddy bears who were given balloon rides – not a big feature of the Paston Letters, but one feels sure the Pastons would have approved.
On Sunday 24th July we held a 'Walks and talks' day at St Margaret's Church, Paston.
Latin Compline at St Margaret's church, Paston. - 24th July 2011
To celebrate St Margaret's day, we held a Latin Compline in the church by candlelight. The service was led by the Rev Canon Professor Dr Loveday Alexander, who introduced it with a short talk explaining the important role of daily worship in the lives of families in the 15th century.
As usual, the service was very moving...a link with the words spoken in worship for centuries in this ancient place.
There was an Easter Fayre at St Margaret's Church, Paston, on Saturday and Sunday, the 2nd and 3rd of April, 2011. This was a craft fayre, with homemade chocolates, jewellery, stained glass ornaments, candles, bespoke miniature wooden cabinets (French polishing), silk flowers and homemade cards, as well as the PHS Souvenir Stall and delicious light refreshments. There was also an area for children to make necklaces, bracelets and Easter bonnets.
An opportunity to discover the world of the Paston Letters in the home of one of the Paston family – the magnificent Oxburgh Hall – was offered on the weekend of September 4-5, 2010.
The date had been set, and at that time it had seemed a long way off. But now here we were, a week to go and I'm wondering!
October 23rd to 26th 2010
The Pastons' Country book and exhibition were on display at the Cromer and Sheringham Arts Festival at the Garden Gallery, Garden Street, Cromer.
On the evening of the 23rd, the Gallery held a launch night with poetry readings from five of the Paston poets – Caroline Gilfillan, recent winner of the EDP-Jarrolds East Anglian Book Award for her poetry book, Yes (Hawthorn Press), Tim Lenton, Rob Knee, Adrian Ward and Dot Cobley.
Mannington Hall October 16th & 17th 2010
The Paston Heritage Society made a successful appearance in costume at the 4th Norfolk Living History Fayre at Mannington Hall and Gardens, courtesy of Lord and Lady Walpole. The event featured Black Knight Historical, the re-enactment company led by Ian Pycroft, who arranged a spot for PHS in the Dining Room at the Hall. The Pastons' Country handmade book was on display, as were John Fenn's 1787 transcriptions of the Paston Letters.
www.blackknighthistorical.co.uk