During the last weekend of June, All Saints Church High Kelling will be celebrating the hundredth anniversary of its first service.
All Saints Church High Kelling had its first service in August 1924. It had been built as a chapel to serve the TB Sanatorium for Children and the adjacent Bramblewood TB Sanatorium for Women.
By 1955 TB treatment had become so advanced that sanatoriums were no longer necessary and Bramblewood closed. The now unused chapel was offered to the residents of the growing community of High Kelling for £500.
The residents rose to the challenge and the money was rapidly raised, and the chapel was renamed All Saints Church, with the first service taking place at All Saints Tide in November 1955.
For a number of years the church acted independently, and although at that time it was not officially licensed, clergy from St Andrews Church in Holt agreed to take services.
In 1978 All Saints became formally recognised as a District Church within the Parish of Holt and this new status was formally recognised at a special service led by the Bishop of Lynn.
In 1994 the link with St Andrews was further strengthened when the benefice was renamed “The Benefice of Holt with High Kelling”.
Over the years local people have lavished attention on this church, which is said to be the smallest in the Diocese. A memorial garden was dedicated for cremated remains and for the last 30 years the church has been licensed for weddings.
Throughout the weekend the church will be decorated with themed floral displays that reflect on events of the church’s history. The church will be open to visitors from 1pm on Friday 28 June until Monday 1 July.
The first event of the weekend will be a classical concert in church at 7pm on Friday 28 June, accompanied with strawberries and fizz.
On Saturday, the church will be open to visitors throughout the day and morning coffee and afternoon tea will be available. In the evening the Sheringham Shanty Men will be live in an open air concert starting at 6.30pm. Street food will be available to purchase or bring your own picnic. Tickets will be £10.
On Sunday 30 June the usual Morning Eucharist will be at 9.15am, while in the afternoon at 3pm there will be open air Songs of Praise accompanied by the Cromer and District Brass Band. The Bishop of Lynn, Rt Revd Jane Steen will preach, and Lady Dannett, Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk, will be in attendance.
On the Monday the church will continue to be open for visitors.
Tickets for events will be available from: Lynn Morgan, 23 Avenue Road, High Kelling. Tel: 01263 711489