• Make a contribution
  • Get the Print Edition
  • Sign up for our daily newsletter
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
  • Login
Reading Today Online
  • HOME
  • YOUR AREA
    • All
    • Caversham
    • Central Reading
    • East Reading
    • Katesgrove
    • Reading
    • Southcote & Coley
    • Tilehurst & Norcot
    • Whitley

    Woman in her seventies sexually assaulted on bus in Reading

    Health secretary visits Royal Berks

    Kenya Butchers and Just Fresh owners fined nearly £60k for further health and safety breaches

    Vyome Singh named Reading New Comdian of the Year– after only starting stand-up in January

    World Bee Day: UoR says pollinators face continued and increasing threats

    Murder Trial Tonight casts audience as jury in immersive true crime show at The Hexagon

    Reading man jailed after being found with cocaine and heroin

    Reading man jailed for intent to supply class A drugs

    New store opens to serve neighbours in Whitley opened by MP

  • COMMUNITY
  • READING FC
  • SPORT
    • All
    • Basketball
    • Football
    • Rugby

    Rob Couhig reveals new Reading FC CEO following takeover

    It’s a podium streak for Wokingham racing star Bobby with a win at Silverstone

    Rams RFC celebrate at end of season ball

    Lewis hits brilliant century to see Berkshire CCC beat Buckinghamshire

    ‘Without you, there would be no club’: Defender sends farewell message to Reading FC fans

    Style and splendour returns to Newbury

    Former Reading FC manager to be named as new Brazil national team assistant manager under Ancelotti

    ‘The club lives on’: Reading FC Community Trust reacts to ownership news

    New Reading FC owner Rob Couhig sends message to loyal fans

  • ENTERTAINMENT
    • ARTS
    • READING FESTIVAL
    • READING PRIDE
    • WOKINGHAM FESTIVAL
  • PRIDE OF READING
  • OBITUARIES
  • JOBS
  • ADVERTISE
  • CONTACT US
No Result
View All Result
Reading Today Online
No Result
View All Result
Home Featured

There be giants in a 12th century church in Aldworth … and you can have afternoon tea with them

Church opens its doors during the summer

James Hastings by James Hastings
Sunday, June 4, 2023 7:31 am
in Featured, People
A A
The Aldworth Giants in St Mary's Church in Aldworth Picture: Oldfarm/Wikipedia

The Aldworth Giants in St Mary's Church in Aldworth Picture: Oldfarm/Wikipedia

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

A VILLAGE church is holding a summer of afternoon teas with some very special guests.

St Mary’s parish in Aldworth runs several fundraising events throughout the year to help with the upkeep of the 12th century church.

But probably the most popular are the afternoon tea and coffee sessions in the company of the famous Aldworth Giants.

These nine effigies of the de la Beche family who came from Flanders after the Battle of Hastings, lie in stately stone splendour within St Mary’s.

Parishioner Gill Wilding who organises the summer teas said the Aldworth Giants had become a major tourist attraction.

“Many people know about them and love coming back to see them again, but others are taken aback when they see the Aldworth Giants for the first time,” she explained.

Related posts

Woman in her seventies sexually assaulted on bus in Reading

Boy sexually assaulted in Reading, police release e-fit

Reading man fails to appear in court on charge of burglary

Young man and woman attacked by group of teenagers in Reading robbery

“They are unique in representing so many members of an ancient family and even more special that they are all in one small parish church. We don’t have a hall, so the teas are held in the church in the company of the Aldworth Giants which is a great talking point, better than a museum.”

The de la Beche family were granted a licence by William Duke of Normandy to build a castle at Aldworth which was followed by a second at Mortimer. One of the most impressive of the Giants is Sir Philip who lies on his side in a small niche, dressed in embossed leather armour and a mantle to show he was a valet to King Edward II.

St Mary’s is also home to a number of other members of the great and the good to be found at the parish. One of England’s greatest poets, Alfred Tennyson held the title of Lord Tennyson of Aldworth, while in the churchyard there is a memorial to Robert Laurence Binyon, author of the poem, For The Fallen which is recited at Remembrance Sunday services every November.

Anyone needing to walk off their afternoon tea and cake can join a glorious short walk from St Mary’s onto the Ridgeway, an 87-mile trackway described as Britain’s oldest road.

Added Gill: “The afternoon teas start on Wednesday, July 5, between 2.30pm and 4.30pm, and at the same time on every Wednesday in July, August and September.

“For just £3, visitors can enjoy a delicious afternoon tea and cake in the company of the Aldworth Giants in a beautiful and ancient church. We hold a number of other fundraising events during the year which are posted on the church website.

“We look forward to welcoming people from near and far to visit St Mary’s and our beautiful village.”

For more information, log on to: http://www.aldworthvillage.org/index.php/st-marys-church/

Keep up to date by signing up for our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people who have requested it.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Tags: Afternoon Teaaldworthberkshirelocal newsrdgrdgukRdguk borough newsreadingreading berkshirereading newsreading uk
Previous Post

New councillor for Caversham Heights praised by Labour MP

Next Post

One small rock that unites police officers from Berkshire with New York

FOLLOW US

POPULAR STORIES

  • Young man and woman attacked by group of teenagers in Reading robbery

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Former Reading FC star to be released as free agent by Championship club

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Former Reading FC star to become free agent following Championship relegation

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Thousands experience power outage in Reading, not expected to be fixed for hours

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Reading FC group Sell Before We Dai makes generous donation following end of campaign

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

RDG.Today – which is a Social Enterprise – provides Reading Borough with free, independent news coverage.

If you are able, please support our work

Click Here to Support RDG.Today

ABOUT US

Reading Today is dedicated to providing news online across the whole of the Borough of Reading. It is a Social Enterprise, existing to support the various communities in Reading Borough.

CONTACT US

news@wokinghampaper.co.uk

Reading Today Logo

Keep up to date with our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people that have subscribed

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

The Wokingham Paper Ltd publications are regulated by IPSO – the Independent Press Standards Organisation.
If you have a complaint about a  The Wokingham Paper Ltd  publication in print or online, you should, in the first instance, contact the publication concerned, email: editor@wokingham.today, or telephone: 0118 327 2662. If it is not resolved to your satisfaction, you should contact IPSO by telephone: 0300 123 2220, or visit its website: www.ipso.co.uk. Members of the public are welcome to contact IPSO at any time if they are not sure how to proceed, or need advice on how to frame a complaint.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • MY AREA
    • Central Reading
    • East Reading
    • Bracknell
    • Calcot
    • Caversham
    • Crowthorne
    • Earley
  • COMMUNITY
  • SPORT
    • Reading FC
    • Football
    • Rugby
    • Basketball
  • ENTERTAINMENT
    • ARTS
    • READING FESTIVAL
    • READING PRIDE
    • WOKINGHAM FESTIVAL
  • PRIDE OF READING
  • OBITUARIES
  • JOBS
  • ADVERTISE
  • CONTACT US
  • SUPPORT US
  • SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER
  • WHERE TO GET THE PRINT EDITION

© 2021 - The Wokingham Paper Ltd - All Right Reserved.