Farnham Parish Church Fete

Farnham Parish Church Fete

Farnham Parish Church Fete

Farnham Parish Church Fete

Along the River Wey, up through Gostrey Meadow into Downing Street, then into the churchyard.

As I walked in, a teddy bear on a parachute came floating down from the church tower. The only one I saw.

There did not seem to be many people or that many stalls.

The usual rubbish, though may have been better had I arrived earlier.

The book stall had a few good books. I picked up a copy of The Shack.

No food left at the barbecue. On a previous occasion, lots left.

Inside the church quiche and salad. Followed by cream tea. Though I was baffled why the jam and cream in little plastic pots. Appalling waste of money and bad for the environment.

I am no great fan of FairTrade, but shocked to see the coffee Nescafe.

Why does the church not invite the tea van I see in Gostrey Meadow (though not he last few weeks) and share the proceeds or charge a reasonable pitch fee? Similar with the ice cream, invite Dylan’s ice Cream.

rare Bible

The church has a very rare Bible, rarely seen. Today was one of those rare occasions.

Known as the Vinegar Bible, due to a misprint. The Parable of the Vineyard in the Gospel of Luke has become The Parable of the Vinegar.

I then realised four o’clock, I would be lucky to catch the butcher. Luckily I did. Sadly he has not ordered copies of Flatpack Democracy. Asked would I? I agreed yes.

I popped in the piano shop in Downing Street and let the lady know about the programme on BBC Radio 4 on Steinway (broadcast Thursday evening rebroadcast Sunday evening).

A walk around Bishop’s Meadow, into the field with the horses, then back via Manor Field.

A patch fenced off. No notice explaining why. It is vital Bishop’s Meadow Trust keep people informed, as that is how you continue with public support.

Waitrose fortunately not too busy.

• PHOTOS Farnham Parish Church Fete

Farnham Parish Church Fete

Farnham Parish Church Fête

A surreal atmosphere, stalls scattered amidst the graves and tombstones and teddy bears parachuting off the church tower.

The stalls were as I expected, junk.

I had a couple of sausages off the barbecue, though why call them hot dogs, these were quality sausages off the local butcher in Downing Street.

A pint of real ale off the beer stall, though half would have been ok.

I then wandered into the church where cream teas were on offer.

But first, I had a look at a very old Bible I had never seen before.

Known as the Vinegar Bible, due to a misprint. The Parable of the Vineyard in the Gospel of Luke has become The Parable of the Vinegar.

An extremely rude woman wanted to know why I was taking photos.

I could have told her to mind her own business, but instead told her I was not using flash (thus not damaging the extremely rare Bible).

The point seemed to be lost on her.

I then asked why she was asking and who was she?

She said she did not like being interrogated and stormed off. In truth I think, when it became apparent I knew how to handle old documents.

I asked the lady who was guardian of the Bible, who was the rude woman? She said she did not know, and had been rude to this lady too. She said she was nothing to do with the church.

At first I assumed, maybe the Bible was on loan from the local museum, possibly a curator, but apparently not.

The Bible had at some point in the past, been split into two volumes.

One volume was in quite poor condition.

Sadly, it is stored in a damp old box. By no means ideal.

I wandered back to the cream teas, to find it was four o’clock, and everything packed away.

It is crazy, a lovely warm sunny afternoon, plenty of folk around, and yet on the dot of four o’clock, everything gets packed away. Many were packing up not long gone three o’clock.

I had a chat with the Music Director. He liked the idea of Jewelia giving an informal concert.

• PHOTOS Farnham Parish Church Fête

I then realised, I had to go to Downing Street to the local butcher. I feared I would find closed, but luckily not.

As it was a lovely afternoon, I then went for a long walk around the 23-acre Bishop’s Meadow.