Church Turns Clock Back To Days of George Eliot

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

People in the local area are being invited to go back to the days of George Eliot at an unusual event in Stockingford this month. On Sunday 17th June 2007, the Church of St. Paul in Church Road, Stockingford, is to turn the clock back 150 years with a Victorian themed day - one of many events this year celebrating the 150^th anniversary of the publication of George Eliot's ‘Scenes of Clerical Life’, coming to a head in the Scenes Revisited festival in September.

 

Councillor Ian Lloyd, Cabinet member for Planning and Development, says:

 

‘I am delighted that people are getting excited about this year’s anniversary celebrations for George Eliot. The Council and its partners in the Heritage Lottery Funded project fully support this wonderful event and look forward to seeing many more like it throughout the year’.

 

The clock turns back for the main 10am service in the Church with the same liturgy being used as in 1857 with the Book of Common Prayer. Members of the congregation will be in Victorian dress, and during the service John Burton, Chairman of The George Eliot Fellowship, will speak on George Eliot and her connections with - and writings about - the area’s local churches. Later, at 2pm, the Summer Gala will continue its Victorian theme with stalls and maypole dancing, as the crowds are entertained by a first class Bedworth Brass Band. Local schools will also be present and will be performing in a Musical Festival.

 

The Church makes an appropriate venue for the event since the Revd Mr Tryan, the evangelical preacher who excites the religious passions of the town in ‘Janet’s Repentance’ (one of the stories in ‘Scenes of Clerical Life’), is the curate at a “chapel-of-ease” clearly based on the Church of St. Paul.

 

Revd Mick Vincent, Vicar at St. Paul's Church, is excited by the forthcoming event and  says,

 

‘This year is a very special year for The George Eliot Fellowship in remembering the author's achievements of 150 years ago and St. Paul's are pleased to be able to join in the celebrations. Our Church is mentioned in one of her books as "the chapel-of-ease on Paddiford Common" and we are proud of our association with the author. Our morning service and afternoon Gala will be a lot of fun and we are giving an open invitation to all to come along both at 10am and again at 2pm.’