On Sunday 31st July, worshippers from St. Dingat’s Dingestow, St. Michael’s Mitchel Troy, St Mary Tregaer, St. Thomas’s Overmonnow and St. Mary’s Priory Church Monmouth gathered on the village green in Dingestow for a united 5th Sunday Lammas service. Lammas – or loaf mass – is a tradition that has been largely forgotten but which was the first Harvest festival which predates the now traditional October Harvest festival by many centuries. A Celtic pagan celebration to give thanks for the baking of the first loaf from the first flour from the new harvest became an important Christian festival for the early church. It was revived by an eccentric Anglican vicar in Cornwall in 1843 and then was reinvented as the October Harvest festival.

It was such a joy to be able to meet in numbers from different parishes in the open air, to share bread freshly baked by church members with cheese and cider. And it only rained during the last song!

From 21st August, the parish of St. Mary Tregaer will be home to some new residents: the 2022 Scarecrow Festival entries. This year’s theme is ‘Royalty’. All local residents are welcome to enter their very own character into the competition. The scarecrows will be judged whilst they are on display around the village. A scarecrow trail map will be available from the church and from churchwardens. price £1. Prizes announced at Parish Hall Monday 29th August.

Last year’s theme, ‘Children’s TV Characters’ saw Wallace and Gromit, Bob the Builder and a Dalek out in the village among many other beautifully made scarecrows.

Entry forms from Raglan Post Office, Tregaer Hall and churchwardens.