Christmas Cracker to round off 800th anniversary year at Loughton

The Christmas Cracker at All Saints’ Church, Loughton on Saturday, December 1, marks the end of a year of special events celebrating the 800th anniversary of the church.

The Christmas event includes crafts, homemade jams, pre-loved jewellery and other stalls, as well as a raffle, children’s games and a visit from Father Christmas.

Open from 2pm to 4.30pm, it’s a great chance to get your Christmas gifts and a treat for yourself.

Visitors can enjoy festive refreshments in the church room. Admission to the event is free.

Over the course of 2018 the church has celebrated its 800th anniversary with several special events.

These included a service attended by the Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Rev Dr Steven Croft, the Mayor of Milton Keynes, Cllr Martin Petchey, and Iain Stewart MP.

There was a summer fete with a fly-past from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster, and events held to mark the Heritage Open Weekend.

During the year, the church bells, some of which date from the 1540s, have been restored and two new ones added. They were blessed in a special service attended by Canon Helen Cameron, chair of the Northampton District of the Methodist Church.

The church building has stood in its prominent position in Loughton through eight centuries. With 800 years of services and prayers and thousands of people through its doors, it remains an important part of the local community today as a place of worship for people of all ages.

Details of the Christmas services coming up at this historic church are available at www.watlingvalley.org.uk/christmas