High Toynton Music Festival, 16th August 2026
The sun shone, people surged in and everything flowed for the 2026 Music Festival. It kicked off to an impressive start when the drumming
circle attracted 50 people with over 20 more singing inside the Church.
As both workshops ended, the BBQ and colourful salad bar had their work cut out to keep up with queues of hungry people. Throughout the
afternoon we were treated to fabulous live music with glorious acoustics inside the Church (with occasional dancing in the aisles), but also made
the discovery of a natural amphitheatre outside. This enhanced the ease and ambience, as people placed their folding chairs around it,
listening, chatting to friends, sunbathing. Meanwhile an impromptu group of children were recruited to man the cake stall - proving rather
more daring and thus successful at demanding donations, than adults!
The end result was a day that exceeded our dreams, generating a load of bonhomie and raising double what we expected. Massive thanks to Peter
Swift, Nick Harris and all those wonderful musicians, including pirates, who enabled it by giving us the benefit of their expertise.
Wedding Held at High Toynton Church
The first wedding to be held following the reconstruction of the St John the Baptist church took place on 1st August 2026. The weather was perfect and the church was almost full. Following the service, conducted by Rev. Charles Patrick, the bride and groom went outside through a throng of people to the sound of the bells which have recently been restored. The church looked wonderful decked out with flowers and proved to be a perfect venue.
Early Music Concert - 6th June 2026
"Transcendental" and "transporting" were two words that people used to describe the music of the Lay Vicars after the concert held on Saturday 6th June 2026. The instant they started singing, their utter skill and joy in the sounds produced, and how those sounds reacted on senses and feelings, carried us all away. The concert was a resounding success with over 60 tickets sold and just over £900 made towards our much needed interior refurbishments.
Service of Re-dedication
By the Bishop of Grimsby
SUNDAY MAY 10TH 2026
A joyous day of Celebration.
Seventeen people kicked it off with a Pilgrimage Walk around the Parish mid morning. Late morning, with the BBC in attendance, the Vicar led a crowd down the lane for Payers of Blessing.
Despite the gloomy forecast, the sun shone on our delicious Feast. Some three dozen people were able to sit outside the church as well as in. Then, with chairs re-arranged, the Church filled up for the advent of the Bishop. Ancient pomp and ceremony was contrasted with the creative simplicity of two ladies singing beautiful harmonies, along with well chosen hymns where everybody joined in with gusto.
A glorious launch for our sacred community space!
Service of Re-dedication
COLLAPSE On December 12th 1872 High Toynton celebrated the opening of the newly built Church, rebuilt along the lines the medieval Church but with an impressive tower. The tower was never absolutely stable and was braced before the end of the 19th century. On January 19th 2020, suddenly and silently, the tower collapsed leaving a big black hole in the fabric of the community as the Church is still the only community space.
CELEBRATION On Sunday May 10th we are celebrating the culmination of six years of unremitting work by dedicated villagers, unfailing support from the Vicar, Charles Patrick, not to mention a whole team of project managers, master craftsmen and assorted professionals. Thanks most of all to amazing local support as well as tremendous help from the National Heritage Lottery, the building itself is now splendidly restored. Inside there is still work to do, which will be Phase 2 of our project for High Toynton Renewed.
SERVICE OF RE-DEDICATION. At 3pm we have a Bishop coming: the newly elected Bishop Jean of Grimsby, to take a Service of Re-Dedication. As if the pomp, ceremony and pageantry of a Bishop in High Toynton is not enough, during the Service there will be a performance of acappella singing by the duo “Crone” who work their meaningful poetry into fabulous harmonies. A warm welcome awaits anybody who wishes to come and join us for this historic occasion.
PARISH WALK Leading up to that - 10th May is actually Rogation Sunday Traditionally this was when people “beat the bounds” of their Parish. Originally it was extremely important to have boundaries established so that individuals would not over-step them! Nowadays it is more of a pilgrimage to encircle and bless the Parish. Accordingly we start our Walk from the Church at 11am. It does not take in the whole Parish boundary but is a truncated walk to encircle as much of the village as possible. There are 2 options of either roughly 50 minutes or of an hour and a quarter. This is followed by a short Rogation Procession led by the Vicar of Horncastle, Rev. Charles Patrick at 12.30.
FEAST All this activity means sharpened appetites. So after that we have a Feast in the Church at 1pm. This will be on a “Bring and Share” basis, using the Church Space for what we trust it will be used for from now on – a real social get-together, giving and receiving. All dishes offered are placed on a communal table for people to help themselves. If you do not have time to cook - a bunch of grapes, a box of biscuits or a lump of cheese... all will be gratefully received. Around 2.15 we ask for your understanding as food and tables are packed away and chairs placed for the Service. Please let us know if you wish to join us for the Feast: 07778 592783
Everyone is welcome to join in any or all of the Events. The number 56 bus, Skegness to Lincoln, stops in the lay-by 100 yards away. Car Parking is down the lane on the beet pad - follow signs. Toilet is available in the Studio opposite the Church.
Harvest festival for church mural unveiling
A socially distanced harvest festival in the wild flower churchyard on September 6th to mark the unveiling of our village murals
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