Melbourne Parish Church celebrates its 90th anniversary this year. While no one knows the exact year the current church was founded, 2025 is certainly not far from the mark and has a nice ring to it.

There is a lot happening to mark the anniversary and for that reason The Friends are coordinating their events this year with those being organised by the 900 organising commitee and publicising them. It is a great programme and we hope you will be able to make it to as many events as possible.

The events planned so far are listed below, with those solely organised by the Friends indicated by an asterisk.

  • February – Erection of a timeline around the east end of the church, showing national and local events over the last 900 years

  • March 22 – Acts of Devotion, performed by the Derwent Singers, 7.30 pm in the church. Tickets £15 via the website (www.derwentsingers.org.uk) & on the door by cash or card

  • April 3 – Talk by Philip Heath, 7.30pm: “The chequered history of Melbourne Parish Church over 900 years”

  • May 3 to 5 – Flower Festival celebrating 900 years
  • May 15 or 22 – A Whodunnit evening presented by Margaret Gildea: Who murdered the Princes in the Tower?*
  • 5 or 9 June – Talk by William Bates on the contentious restoration of Melbourne Parish Church in the 1860s*
  • June 14 – Medieval Fayre and Hog Roast
  • July 4 – Evening Medieval Banquet
  • July 19 – An architectural and historical tour of the church and surroundings by Philip Heath, 2pm
  • August 16 – An architectural and historical tour of the church and surroundings with Philip Heath, 2pm
  • September 20/21 – Melbourne Festival
  • September 25 – Chamber music from Graham Oppenheimer and Friends*
  • September 28 – Patronal Festival
  • October 2 – Talk by Philip Heath, 7.30pm: “The chequered history of Melbourne Parish Church over 900 years”
  • October 16/17 – St Michael’s Players drama group – a humorous look at Melbourne over the last 900 years
  • December 5 – Jazz night: A Christmas Carol with Alan Barnes*
  • December 13/14 – Christmas Tree Festival

 

Dates not yet fixed:

  • Michael Cook and other artists – an exhibition named “Wild Saints”
  • Joint Performance by the various music groups in Melbourne
  • Talk by William Kerr on the church’s early history
  • Talk by Rachel Askew about the years leading up to 1125 and the religious milieu in which the Church was conceived – probably early September
  • Fun quiz in and about Melbourne Parish Church
  • A Choir’d Taste – morning coffee concert