Ghost Stories for All Hallows Eve by M. R. James.

for 2 hours, 30 mins
St Mary the Virgin, Kelvedon
Church Street Kelvedon Colchester, CO5 9AL, United Kingdom

If you dare, come to St Mary's for All Hallows Eve (commonly called Halloween...) for some ghostly fare by one of the greatest writers of supernatural tales in the English-speaking world - M R James. He set several of his stories in East Anglia, including one that will be read this night, which is threateningly entitled 'A Warning to the Curious', the backdrop of which is a very thinly-disguised Aldeburgh. The other, shorter tale is simply called 'Rats'. Say no more.Our ghostly guide and raconteur is Mr John Elliott, who - as some of you may know - is no stranger to treading the boards, and who has been an avid M R James aficionado for more years than he cares to remember.

You may wonder why a church, of all places, should be the setting for such tales - so you may like to know that Montague Rhodes James's 'day-job' was as a noted and learned theologian, a specialist in what is called New Testament Apocrypha. Writing creepy tales was his hobby. Make of this what you will...

Expect a dark, shadowy, candlelit interior, plus some suitably disquieting (but restrained) music. We promise that the interval refreshments will cause no danger to your health or nerves, unlike the rest of the evening...

St Mary the Virgin, Kelvedon

St Mary the Virgin is a grade I listed building, dating back to the 11th century. The church can seat over 300 in the pews, possibly 400 with chairs in open spaces.

A sound reinforcement system has been installed. The peal of 8 bells is heavy. The tenor bell was cast for the 1951 Festival of Britain. There is an active Tower organisation, and sufficient ringers can be brought in to cover Sunday mornings and most other occasions when a peal is appropriate.

In 1993 a sympathetic extension was added to the north side of the church, giving two good-sized rooms, plus a vestibule capable of separate use. The extension incorporates a small kitchen and toilet facilities.

The original churchyard is no longer used for burials but there is an extension to the churchyard on the other side of Church Street.

A church has stood on this site for over 850 years – that's not long after the Conquest by Duke William of Normandy. Since then – both before and after the Reformation continuous worship has been offered to the Glory of God.

If you need peace, silence, time to think, our church is open everyday during daylight hours.

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Get in touch

Ms. Fleur Harris, Benefice Administrator

The Vicarage
Church Street
Kelvedon
Essex

CO5 9AL
Benefice Administrator
07803 366268

Our website

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Ghost Stories for All Hallows Eve by M. R. James.

for 2 hours, 30 mins
St Mary the Virgin, Kelvedon
Church Street Kelvedon Colchester, CO5 9AL, United Kingdom

If you dare, come to St Mary's for All Hallows Eve (commonly called Halloween...) for some ghostly fare by one of the greatest writers of supernatural tales in the English-speaking world - M R James. He set several of his stories in East Anglia, including one that will be read this night, which is threateningly entitled 'A Warning to the Curious', the backdrop of which is a very thinly-disguised Aldeburgh. The other, shorter tale is simply called 'Rats'. Say no more.Our ghostly guide and raconteur is Mr John Elliott, who - as some of you may know - is no stranger to treading the boards, and who has been an avid M R James aficionado for more years than he cares to remember.

You may wonder why a church, of all places, should be the setting for such tales - so you may like to know that Montague Rhodes James's 'day-job' was as a noted and learned theologian, a specialist in what is called New Testament Apocrypha. Writing creepy tales was his hobby. Make of this what you will...

Expect a dark, shadowy, candlelit interior, plus some suitably disquieting (but restrained) music. We promise that the interval refreshments will cause no danger to your health or nerves, unlike the rest of the evening...

Our Benefice

Safeguarding

Our parish of Kelvedon: St Mary the Virgin is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults from harm. We follow the House of Bishops guidance and policies and have our own Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO). Our Diocese of Chelmsford’s safeguarding pages contain vital links and information including contacts for the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor who advises our PSO.

If you are concerned that a child or adult has been harmed or may be at risk of harm please contact the PSO [use link below for contact information) or the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor [again these can be found by using the link below).

If you have immediate concerns about the safety of someone, please contact the police and your local authority’s children or adult social care services

Read more about our Safeguarding Information here.