Funerary businesses are common on high streets across the country and an important part of the response to death in our communities. How did this trade and its familiar services come to be, where and why did the funeral trade begin? This talk journeys through eighteenth-century England to discover the origins of the funeral trade and the identifies of some of the first undertakers. These were entrepreneurs whose products were a mix of the familiar and the extraordinary; from coffins, through hearses to hired mourners who attended the funeral. Our encounter with these products will be illustrated by the accounts from across eighteenth-century society: participants, spectators and even critics. We see how the undertakers worked and observe how the satire of the period captured fears and uncertainties about their motives. The talk will take place at Christ Church Frome on Saturday 31st January at 11am Refreshments will be available from 10.30amEntry by donation in aid of the Christ Church Future Fund 'energising a sacred space'.
Many years ago, before Frome found its way onto the Sunday Times Best Place to Live list, there was a spate of vandalism in the town and the windows of Christ Church fell victim to an air rifle. The solution at the time was to cover all the windows with polycarbonate sheeting.Decades passed, times changed and the polycarbonate sheeting weathered to a yellow opaqueness that reduced Christ Church's kerb appeal to zero with many people commenting that they thought the church was derelict and abandoned.In 2024, Christ Church Future formed to help realise the long held dreams of the congregation to 'energise our sacred space' and create a welcoming and accessible building that will serve the whole community into the future. The larger project involves creating an accessible entrance and to ensure that the roof no longer leaks.On Monday 22nd December the work began as John Yeo a local stained glass expert, began removing the first four of the panels. The transformation is astonishing and even inside the church the quality of the light is very different.The intention is to experience the church without the panels before beginning work in the Spring to either replace them or to remove even more....
Once again, Christ Church was packed as people gathered for the annual Candlelit Carol Concert. Christ Church singers (who sing each month at Choral Evensong) were in fine voice as they sang some of the less well known carols and read poetry by John Benjamin, excerpts from Diary of a Nobody and Christmas Eve with Frog and Toad.Especially lovely was Les ânes (from L'almanach aux images) by Gabriel Grovlez played by Gareth Burgess on the piano.Choir Director Alan Burgess said afterwards that "it has been a real privilege to sing such beautiful music and support the work of Fair Frome at this special time of year".
Mary's House is a new community for the spiritually curious, exploring what Christian wisdom might teach us about how to live more fully in an uncertain world.Mary's House Community is emerging and dispersed with a home at St. Mary's Church. We meet each fortnight for contemplative prayers and in 2026 there is a series of workshops that are open to all. You can download the poster for the upcoming event below and find the whole programme too.All are welcome and you can book using the QR codes
