"Enlisting the people of earth for the purposes of heaven"

Welcome to St Peter and St Paul, Medmenham

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  What's on this month in Medmenham Church

Every Tues at 9am Morning Prayer is said in this church.

Tues 9 Sept
8pm, PCC meeting.

Sun 14 Sept
12noon, Talk after the service on the history of Medmenham church.

Sun 5 Oct
10am, Valley Choral Eucharist.

Sun 12 Oct
11am, Harvest Festival and Back to Church Sunday.

Normal Sunday services from Jan 2007

Although this is the usual pattern please check this month's rota by clicking here.

1st Sundays
New Valley services, please click here to see the programme.

2nd and 5th Sundays
11am, Eucharist.

3rd Sundays
11am, Morning Prayer.

4th Sundays
11am, All-age Eucharist.

Description

The hamlet of Medmenham lies mainly to the south of the Henley Road. On the main road itself is the Dog and Badger pub, dating from the 14th century. To the south lies the church, and beyond this a pretty straggle of cottages and houses of varying ages and styles runs along the historic Ferry Lane to the Thames.

The church sits at the junction of Ferry Lane and the main road. The churchyard lies below the level of the road and is surrounded by brick and flint walls and trees.

The land rises north of the churchyard with the Dog and Badger pub lying across the road, and then the steep escarpment behind, crowned by Lodge Farm.

A 15th century manor house stands on the west of the lane.

The remains of a Cistercian abbey closed by Henry VIII lie close to the river and have been incorporated into a Jacobean mansion. This was remodelled in the 18th century by Medmenham's most notorious resident, Sir Francis Dashwood, and the meetings of the Hell Fire Club were held there until the discreditable nature of these was exposed.

The Abbey is well screened and is best viewed from the Berkshire bank of the Thames. A ferry no longer crosses the Thames but the landing stage still stands. The Thames Path runs along the river to the west of this.