Last Sunday we celebrated the Harvest Festival at Highclere Church. It is traditionally held on the Sunday nearest the full moon following the Autumn Equinox (the latter being towards the end of September). So it was a pagan festival acquired by the church……it is however a beautiful time of year, one of “mists and mellow fruitfulness” and one in which to take stock of what we have successfully stored in the barns for the coming months.
We operate an in-hand farm here at Highclere growing wheat, barley, oats, linseed, oil seed rape, haylage and of course sheep (and about 3000 lambs) which graze the Park. I had wanted to reflect the source of the food bought in supermarkets – a farm to table moment.
Gathered In the churchyard was a tractor, some chickens, a couple of sheep, a Shetland pony, sacks of grains, apples, tins of food, and then I decided I should ride to church with various friends who were staying . Five of us therefore set off for church across the Park on gleaming horses whilst the rest of the house party followed by car.
Rev Toddy Hoare gave an excellent sermon, not a lecture at all, but a riveting talk bringing together threads of thought from the “Desert Fathers” to today.
After church we all enjoyed coffees or wine outside in the sunshine, the chickens were perched on a tree stump and the Jacob’s sheep were incredibly clean and white. We then climbed back onto the horses – in fact Tom leapt nimbly up onto Bill (who is jolly tall), Steven with some agility made it up onto Mountain, whilst I found a tree to swing onto Frankie. Annie led our party from the front and we choose a longer way back, riding between the limes trees and through some old areas of the Park looking back up at golden sun lit Castle.
Arriving back at the Castle, lunch was most excellent, delicious roast pork with lots of crackling, roasted beetroots, kale and followed by a fig tart made from figs from the Castle gardens, it was a delicious harvest festival.
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Lady Carnarvon you make it sound such a wonderful day had by all & afterwards outside Highclere Church too, I can almost taste that delicious roast pork with lots of crackling & roasted beetroots yummy 🙂 I have seen that golden sun lighting up the castle so I know what you mean.. Thank you Lady Carnarvon for another 1st Class Blog I do look forward to them each time 🙂
So beautifully written, you paint such a vivid picture with words (putting my rather feeble Blog attempts to shame!). We too had our Harvest Festival service at St Marys Church in Steeple Ashton village last Sunday. The “flower ladies” work so hard on making the churches look wonderful throughout the country, receiving scant praise for their efforts.
That sounds like it was a very nice event. I’m sure the food was very delicious. Thank you for sharing. 🙂
That sounds idyllic! Have a great Autumn season.
Going to church on horse back is like putting the clock back one hundred year’s. How very blessed. Our Churches in Canada also celebrate Harvest Festival. Such a beautiful time of year. We in Newfoundland have a huge turkey with vegetables from our local farmer’s. Thank you for posting such interesting going’s on at Highclere. Looking forward to your Christmas blog.
Dear Lady Carnarvon,
Thank you for this elegantly composed post and for your allusion to the lovely Keats’ poem. I can’t imagine what autumn holds, at Highclere Castle, to delight the senses. My familiy and I had the privilege of visiting your charming abode, when we traveled there in July 2013 from St. Louis, Missouri. We learned that this was one of the hottest summers on record in England, and the heat and humidity that we wiltingly encountered even rivaled the oppressive summer climate we ususally encounter here, near the Mississippi River. But we were not disuaded, and made our pilgrimage, nonetheless. One of our most charming experiences was to visit your exquisite country house, with its verdant, pastoral grounds. And now, to imagine it arrayed in full, vibrant foliage and enjoyed in cooler climes, piques my desire to return. It is the stuff of which fairytales are made; yet, you so aptly describe real working-and-worshiping life there. I so appreciate the many churches scattered throughout the English countryside, and also in realizing that many of them are situated on actual estates. The worship service you describe sounds uplifting and edifying. I spy the choir seats in your photographs. Imagine my utter delight and suprise, as a professional singer, when the congregation was invited to sit with the boys’ choir in St. Paul’s Cathedral during the Evensong service. Ah. . . . a little taste of heaven, as is the bounty and beauty you describe here. Thank you for sharing harvest lushness in words and natural wonder.
Sincerely,
Lynn Morrissey
Love to read what’s going on at Highclere. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Upon reading your post reminds me of how lucky I was to actually ride a horse to primary school. Although we don’t celebrate Harvest Festival in Australia I actually felt the warmth and enjoyment of this day by reading your post. Am off to cookup a bit roast now to share with my family.
What a great way to get to Church. I would love to take some side-saddle lessons, but can’t find anyone who has a horse trained for it. The church is beautiful. England in the autumn, what could be better. There is no more lovely place on the face of the earth! Hope you had a bountiful harvest. Thanks for sharing and God Bless!
Kind Regards
Mary Beth
I found Lady Carnarvon’s blog while searching the internet for some background information on Downton Abbey und I love reading it. It gives me a glimpse of England which I can only enjoy once or twice a year during a visit. I am having my own harvest festival just now – preparing a pumpkin soup and making apple cake with apples I got from a friend. We have an enormous apple harvest here in Germany this year. I am very much looking forward to your next blog.