Report of St Andrew's Stratton Flower Festival 2011

Friends of St Andrew's

The Parish Church of St Andrew, Stratton, Cornwall

Our aim: To help preserve and maintain the building and churchyard for future generations

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St Andrew’s Flower Festival May 2011

took place on Friday 27th – Monday 30th May inclusive

This year’s theme: “Ring the Changes”

marking the centenary of the re-casting, re-hanging and dedication of our fine peal of bells

Copy of the poster for the event

Report by Mrs J M Standen

Click here to see some photos from the Flower Festival

“Oranges and Lemons” another nursery rhyme based entirely on the sound of bells - this time from London churches. The familiar tune emulates the ringing of the bells and the rhythm of the verses indicates the type of bells - from the lighter to the more sonorous. This exhibit needed a close look to fully appreciate the clever ways the phrases of the rhyme had been represented - five farthings (where did they come from?!), the pots and pans, the candle and the bed and so on. “Big Ben”, another exhibit, gave another London link, depicting the bell that is possibly the most famous across the world.

Once again Stratton Primary School, Year 1, produced a lively display based on the old School Bell now unused but still a feature in the school hallway. This was a very important bell and the yellow floral arrangements again simulated, not just the colour of the bell, but also the sound it would have made ringing out over the town. Lovely sketches of all the children, running to school, anxious not to be late.

A simple exhibit, using a Jewish prayer shawl, reminded one of the earliest use of bells in worship; the vestments of the High Priests in the Temple were adorned with bells which made a sound possibly not dissimilar to the sanctus bells used in the sanctuary in today’s worship

Bells are cast in foundries and the work involved was brilliantly depicted in “The Bell Foundry” exhibit. A striking display of red, orange, yellow flowers being blown by a pair of bellows, produced the heat needed for the molten metal, which was shown, in a profusion of orange flowers, pouring into a mould from which emerged a bell, being cooled by water represented by blue and white flowers. Parings of myrtle indicated the shavings from the finished bell as it was tuned.

Other interpretations of the title were carried out in the display which showed the proposed “changes “ to be carried out at Stratton Hospital. There was a “Belle” of the ball (with her partner) underneath a cunningly made floral bell; the “Southern Belle”, a Mississippi steam boat with the displays surrounding it all alluding to the uses this type of craft had during its lifetime. The set of hand bells in their original case, their sound represented by a cascade of flowers emanating from the box. “Bells Scotch Whisky” featured a whisky coloured floral display and one of the very collectible ceramic decanters, a trademark of the distillery. “The Telephone” was a tribute to Alexander Bell, inventor of the telephone; cunning floral display of individual roses representing the keypad on a modern mobile.

“Sleigh bells“, with a white floral arrangement a reminder of the winter season, New Year bells, a poignant reminder each year of what has been and hope for what will come. “Wedding bells” - truly happy ones these with flowers in a topper and a floral cake. “The Bellman” or Town Crier, imposingly dressed in the traditional costume and using his bell to attract the attention of the populace and impart his news. And so on - so many exhibits ingeniously arranged and demonstrating the many “changes” applicable to the word “bell”.

On Saturday evening Revd Preb James Vincent gave a fascinating and amusing insight to the art of campanology and invited those present to try their skills on the Frank Mack miniature ring which formed part of the displays.

A truly fascinating and enlightening floral display - in some ways a history lesson in flowers!

Once again the ingenuity and expertise of the people of Stratton have been exhibited in their annual Flower Festival held in St Andrew’s parish church. Bell ringing, or campanology to give its technical name, has long been a part of the Cornish tradition and one would have expected each exhibit to replicate an aspect of that art. However, the title of the festival enabled imaginations to run riot and there were many “changes” on view.

Once again the aisle provided the perfect place for “Mary, Mary quite contrary” as the bells, shells and gardening implements were “all in a row”; as with many of the exhibits, this simple nursery rhyme carried a deeper meaning at a time when the country did not have the religious tolerance it enjoys today.

Rebellion against this intolerance was depicted in an historically correct portrayal of the Prayer Book Rebellion of 1549 and Stratton’s part in that bloody period of history when church bells were silenced in an effort to halt these revolts. Happily, this did not last long and the display of “The Stratton Octave” illustrated cleverly and beautifully the eight bells now housed in the church tower and rung regularly. Clever replications of the bells surrounded by amazing floral displays, all echoing the “bell” theme, and surmounted by a copy of the tower clock which is linked to the bells. In the vibrant yellow arrangement beneath the clock it was almost possible to hear the bells pealing!

The religious theme was further evoked by the “Bell, Book and Candle” display - a large handmade bell hung over a beautiful floral Bible and candle, all a reminder of the punishment of excommunication; a deprivation of the sacrament of communion, which carried more weight in earlier times than today.