IN the church of St Mary the Virgin, Orchardleigh, there will be a service of Choral Evensong on Sunday 20th August at 6.00pm. The service will be sung by regular visitors to St Mary’s ‘Cantores Occasu’ directed by Ed Cooke.
The service will include music by Dufay and Weelkes and will celebrate the patronal festival of the church as it is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary who is remembered in the church calendar a few days earlier.
The Church of St Mary dates back to the 14th century and sits on a moated island adjacent to the lake on the Orchardleigh estate and due to its location, has no electricity and all services are illuminated by candlelight, and the organ is pumped by hand.
