All Saints’ Church in the Huntingdonshire village of Hamerton recently had a special visit from the Dean of Westminster, the Very Revd Dr David Hoyle KCVO MBE.
As Dean of Westminster, he had a crucial role to play at the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and at the Coronation of King Charles III, the first coronation in nearly 70 years.
The Dean was welcomed by local bell ringers and he addressed a packed Church, with standing room only. He explained the origins of Westminster Abbey which was originally a Benedictine monastery built in 960 AD. Edward the Confessor rebuilt the monastery into a grand church and subsequently in 1066 William the Conqueror was crowned there, starting the tradition of Royal Coronations in the Abbey.
In an engaging and humorous delivery, the Dean spoke of his involvement in the late Queen Elizabeth’s funeral and at the coronation of King Charles III. Both occasions attracted billions of viewers across the world with the Abbey itself handling the logistics of the occasions, including attending to the many Heads of State who were present.
The successful evening in Hamerton was organised by the Hamerton Parochial Church Council as part of their efforts to raise £250,000 for a new Church roof. The Church, parts of which date from the 13th Century, has beautiful statues and wooden carvings, but especially fine are the medieval angels in the roof, which survived the Reformation. There are only about 130 Churches in the world which have these precious angels, and the parishioners are keen to preserve them, especially as water is leaking through the nave roof. The event was sponsored by local builders, New Build and Renovations, to whom the PCC are grateful.
Jim Swales, All Saints’ Church Treasurer, said after the event:
“It was a real joy to have the Dean come to All Saints and help us to raise much needed funds. He is a great speaker and it was fascinating to learn about the history of Westminster Abbey and his very close involvement with the late Queen’s funeral and King Charles’ coronation. We are very grateful to him for joining us for the evening”
Dean Hoyle, who as well as being a priest is also an author and academic, added:
“It was a real delight to take a little of Westminster to Hamerton and to speak of medieval and modern ceremony in that ancient Church.
I am so grateful for a warm welcome. What a happy evening.”
Anyone wishing to contribute towards the costs of the roof replacement at the Church can donate at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/AllSaintsHamerton.
Pictures (clockwise from top left): Bellringers welcome the Dean; members of the Hamerton PCC together with helpers. (Left to right: Revd Canon Fiona Brampton, Jane Swales (PCC member) Mark George, Anna-Sophia Henry, Mrs Janet Hoyle, Jim Swales); it was a full house for the evening's talk.
You can view more photos on Hamerton church’s website gallery page: https://hamerton-church.org.uk/gallery