Open-air Lammas Festival

On Sunday 1st August there will be an open-air service to celebrate the mediaeval Lammas festival.  It will be held at Martha’s Down between Hindon and Chicklade. From the Anglo-Saxon Hlafmaesse, Lammas celebrates the first-fruits of the harvest. In keeping with tradition, a specially baked wheat loaf from the harvest will be presented and used for the service. These photos were taken at the same event two years ago.

The service will be led by the Revd Juliette Hulme and the preacher will be the Revd Mark Hayter (centre photo, right). Music will be provided by the band from St John’s Church Tisbury; it’ll be their first engagement since the pandemic struck early in 2020. The service will be followed by a picnic – do come with one!

The Lammas ceremony ceased at the Reformation although reference to Lammas Day continued in the Book of Common Prayer calendar. The practice has been revived in recent years.

Martha’s Down (named after Martha above) situated between Hindon and Chicklade in Wiltshire, is a popular country venue for weddings. Martha’s Down website.