17th Century Farming Lives

As an ancient agricultural parish with more than 1,000 years of history, Ripple will tell of its farming community specifically in the early 17th century when many of the old houses in Ripple were built, when the English Civil War overran the Parish and when Robert Reeve the celebrated Ripple Giant, gave his life in a daring wager.

Grade I listed St Mary’s, Ripple is said to be one of the biggest medieval rural parish churches in the county. Her famous 15th Century Misericords, hinged seats for monks and clergy, tell the stories of rural life through their intricate carvings, illustrating the tasks of each month of the year …sowing, threshing, killing the pig for winter.

Visitors will be able to explore the social history of the Parish, how people lived, how they worked and played, what they wore and ate and drank and earned. We will describe their daily lives through the farming hierarchy, from the landed gentry at The Rectory and Ripple Hall, and yeoman farmers at Manor Farm to hard pressed farm workers, itinerant and seasonal workers, female and child labour, farriers, wheelwrights, thatchers and ferrymen.

Eyewitness accounts will tell of the anarchy and suffering inflicted on farming life by the English Civil War as told by UK's oldest re-enactment Society, The Sealed Knot.

Over the weekend there'll be History and Heritage displays, Bell Tower tours, important Heritage features to see, activities for children, 21st and 17th century refreshments, toilets and parking.

Timings

Saturday 12 September:

1000-1600

Sunday 13 September:

1000-1600

Location & directions

St Mary's Church, The Cross, Ripple, Tewkesbury, Worcestershire, GL20 6HA

Directions:

5 minutes off M50 Junction 1 ...take A38 northbound towards Upton Upon Severn. Turn left at the Ripple sign. Overflow car park on the corner of Rectory Lane (signed)

Contact on day:

Nicholas Blake

Telephone number:

+447774675166

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking not required

Accessibility details

There is a wheelchair ramp at the West door Disabled parking by churchyard gate Overflow car park 100 metres.

Additional information

St Mary's Church, Ripple is a historic building in an ancient parish named in the Domesday Book of 1086. It has particularly interesting heritage features including a rare 'She Bible', one of only 7 in existence. There is no park or garden but an ancient churchyard bounded by a very fine Queen Anne Rectory and 15th century Ripple Hall, and including Ripple Brook the boundary between Worcestershire and Gloucestershire. The maximum number of people per tour refer to the Bell Tower Tour, other tours can accommodate a few more. The venue can be toured on a self-guided basis.

Max number of people:

8

Estimated duration:

40 minute(s)

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