Summer Festival + Beer Orders

Friday 16th August - 7.00 pm
we celebrated
Patronal Festival of 
the Assumption of Our Lady

7.00pm Sung Mass
​Celebrant & Preacher:
Fr Edward Gunn, Shrine Priest at Walsingham,
Followed by Procession and Benediction.

EVERYONE was WELCOME to all or any of it - whether used to our worship or not!
At approx 8.45pm we had a fantastic firework display, followed by beer, wine, or soft drinks and Hot Dogs in the South Churchyard
photos below from a previous year's festival

What it's about..

Our wonderful parish church of St Mary is dedicated to the Assumption of Our Lady - when after her death she was raised in glory to be with her Son, Jesus - a foretaste of our Christian hope for us all. As always, everyone is welcome to join our worship of Him, which is at the heart of our celebrations.

​Our Own Real Ale:

It's back!!  
MENDLESHAM’S BEST REAL ALE
Assumption Edition 2024
​Limited edition
Mendlesham’s Best is back again. Our 14th limited edition, has been specially brewed by Earl Soham Brewery using locally grown barley, English hops and traditional brewing techniques. It is being sold in aid of St Mary’s Mendlesham Church Funds 
Many have been pre-ordered and more was drunk at the festival and there are just a few boxes left - so first come, first served!
Prices: Bottles: £3.50, Box of 12: £40
Payment on collection
To order, please complete the form below

    Beer Order Form

** If you have ordered beer and have not heard from us, please contact via this link. While we have received several orders, we have no record of the orders for 2 people who believed their order had gone through and there may possibly be others..**

Parish Ales in history

In Mediaeval and Tudor Times Parish Ales or Church Ales were important celebrations in many English parishes. Originally instituted to honour the patron saint of the church, these were events held in the south-side churchyard. Home-brewed beer was sold by the churchwardens to offset the maintenance and repairs to the church fabric. At one time many churches had brew-houses in the churchyard, or attached to the church itself. Frances Beaumont (1584-1616) wrote the following verse in ‘Exaltation of Ale’:
‘The churches much owe, as we all do know, 
For when they be drooping and ready to fall 
By a Whitsun or Church-ale up again they shall go 
And owe their repairing to a pot of good ale.’