East Garston

Church Records

This comprehensive gathering together of historic parish items gave all visitors a chance to see records with references to some of the oldest families in East Garston. Included in the exhibits were other Ancient Church documents along with a number of very rare items on loan from the Berkshire Records Office. One visitor - Ron Barrett - now resident in Yorkshire spent both days here researching his family archives. Ron's grandparents used to live at Hillside and as luck would have it - Ray and Eric Hobbs knew and remembered them both. Needless to say a chat was quickly arranged and Ron left here ecstatic with what he had learned from his weekend visit.

Marriage, Baptism and Burials Registers from 1554 to the present day - a Priest’s Sermon Book dated 1742, Tithe Maps and Payment Registers from1840 all on display throughout the weekend. .Also on show was a petition dated 1904 from the residents of East Garston objecting to a proposed change to the name of - "East Garston".

Weddings and Christenings

Displays of past Special Occasions in the form of mementos of some recent, and some not so recent, weddings, Christenings and special Services were a very popular attraction. The comprehensive exhibit directly below was the work of Dawn Tonge and includes mementos' of her own wedding to Chris - and that of daughter Nicola to Ralph.


Chris & Dawn - March 1965		Dawn with her Dad		Dawn's wedding dress

"Not so Recent Weddings"
exhibits presented by
Wendy Highnett and Diana Smith


Wendy 2006		Jill Hayes with her Dad 1979		Wendy 1976


Peter & Diana Smith		Peter & June Crook - April 1960		Alan & Betty Hayes - March 1956

Between January 2005 and June 2006 - The Reverend Tony Cumberlidge conducted 16 Baptisms here at all Saints' Church


Diana Smith's wedding dress		Nicola Wellard's wedding dress		Christening gown - Sarah & Tamsin Cox

The Silver

At the Sunday morning Communion service Rev Cumberlidge asked the congregation to reflect on the privilege of receiving communion from the East Garston chalice of 1576. They were also asked to reflect on the countless numbers of East Garston parishioners who had participated in this act of worship through previous centuries. The chalice - along with the other church silver - is by necessity, normally housed in the Treasury at Christ Church Cathedral Oxford, but had been collected from there expressly for this special weekend.


Communion Cup & Paton Cover 1576		The collection is securely stored in Christchurch Cathedral Oxford		Garrard Cup dated 1675


Travelling Communion case

Photos : Ken Tarbox