St Mary’s Church, Old Linslade, opens its doors to visitors from this weekend.
Day-trippers can enjoy the historic church and scenic grounds as well as refreshments served up by volunteers who help keep the building up to scratch.
St Mary’s is Linslade’s original parish church and dates from the 11th century. The village, in its original location, has long since disappeared, leaving the church standing in splendid rural isolation, a reminder of a once prosperous past.
The village used to hold a Royal Charter for a five-day fair .
It was also a place of pilgrimage where “Holy Water” from the clear springs on the hillside was sold as a medieval cure-all,
When the first the canal and then the railway came to the area the village was resurrected on its present location. St Barnabas was built to accommodate the increased congregation and avoid the lengthy walk to and from St Mary’s.
St Marys is open 2pm-5m Easter Sun/Mon and every Sunday afternoon and Bank Holiday Monday until the end of September.