LEARN TO RING THE BELLS
Meet people, have fun & get fit!
Come and join everyone outside The Bell Pub in Great Paxton for a wonderful round of Carol singing. Friday 15th December at 6.45pm outside the pub with the Vicar and her guitar. All voices very welcome indeed!
Download the Quartet
The Vicar's Curious Quiz Night
Date: Friday 17th November 2023.
Time: Arrive at 7pm for a 7.30pm start.
Where: Great Paxton School Hall
Bring your own nibbles and drinks; Come on your own or join a team
Cost: £3 per head and children free
Specialist round this time.....moustaches!
Annette thought you might like to see the YouTube video of a full recording of the Service which took place on Saturday 7th May in Great Paxton Churchyard. The occasion was the dedication of the new granite memorial crafted to honour the seven young RAF crewmen who lost their lives when their Lancaster Plane crashed on Christmas Eve 1944 in Great Paxton. It was attended by over 300 people from across the country including relatives of the crewmen.
An historic moment on 19th June when Stephen Hall played the refurbished Bevington organ in Holy Trinity Church, Great Paxton! Vicar Annette, organist David Weir and neighbour Ursula were all present at a social distance to hear the beautiful sounds of two hymns - 'Be Still for the Presence of the Lord' and 'In Christ Alone'.
After Stephen had played and there was some animated comments, David then stepped up to play 'All Things Bright & Beautiful'.
We look forward to inviting an audience to come to hear the organ played by local organists and give it a blessing.
Below is a video of Stephen playing:
Beginning on 1st June, the late 19th Century Bevington Organ in Great Paxton Church has been cleaned and refurbished. The organ builders were able to commence work taking the necessary precautions and the Vicar stood at a distance to take pictures!
It is a pipe organ with a tracker action. Originally there would have been a real organ blower - often a young person - but now the organ blower is an electronically charged turbine. It supplies a steady stream of air to the organ. We are very grateful to the donor who is making this project possible. The work is being undertaken by Norman Hall and Sons based in Cambridge and in order to clean the organ they removed parts of organ including the pipes, key board and pedals. A label was found inside the organ stating it was built in 1880 - earlier than we thought. Could it have been given by the Towgood family from Paxton Hill House? Another delivery label states it came from Rose Street in London (consistent with Bevington's premises) but unfortunately part of the label is missing which states who had ordered it. We cane make out the word Hall on the far right corner - but if it was given by the Towgoods they lived at Paxton Hill House. It would probably have come by train to St Neots, and then by cart/carriage to the Church. The label reads Midland carriage. It has been fascinating to see the various innards of this instrument and it has helped that the church is not currently being used at the moment as the workers can use the pews to lay the various parts out safely.
Hopefully in the near future we shall have a recital and hope lots of people will come to hear this charming antique instrument sing sweetly.
Below are two videos. One of an interview with Charles Hall, who with his brother has been working on the organ, and the other of the Vicar's musings:
Mrs Nicci Jones
Benefice Administrator
c/o The Vicarage,
24 St. James' Road,
Little Paxton,
St. Neots,
Cambs, PE19 6QW
dummy(01480) 877215
dummy admin@thepaxtonsbenefice.org
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