ONE of the most northern parishes of the Gloucester Diocese is Kemerton, near Tewkesbury. It is also one of those strange situations where a Gloucester ecclesiastical parish is in Worcestershire.

One hundred and fifty years ago the Rector of St Nicholas Parish Church, Kemerton, was also the Archdeacon of Bristol. Gloucester and Bristol were then a united diocese. When he was appointed, the Ven Thomas Thorp was dismayed to find his church was severely dilapidated. So much so architects thought it wise to rebuild it totally. The old church, dating back to Norman times, was torn down with the exception of the tower and north aisle and rebuilt from 1846 to 1850.

This was very much to Archdeacon Thorp's taste. Prior to becoming archdeacon he had been a Cambridge Don very much involved in the controversies between the 'high' and 'low' church parties. He was a high-churchman, becoming the president of the Cambridge Camden Society in 1839.

This society, which was in 1846 to become the Ecclesiological Society, was in the lead in both architectural and liturgical reforms which developed from the Tractarians such as John Keble, Edward Pusey and John Newman.

They influenced the re-ordering of church buildings and the designs of new ones. Obviously Thorp now had a splendid opportunity to put his convictions into stone and Kemerton Parish Church was to become a model English church.

With the advice of various like-minded friends, the Archdeacon commissioned a leading architect of those days Richard Carpenter, who had designed Lancing College, to prepare plans for the new St Nicholas Church.

Before the work started Thorp was involved in some costly litigation about the rebuilding which involved some of the new building being taken down. Never the less, the work progressed.

There are a number of accounts of the consecration of the partially completed church, which took place on Tuesday, October 19, 1847 - though the whole was not finished until 1850.

With great celebration Dr Monk, the Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol, together with 150 clergy plus a surpliced choir of men and boys, processed through the village, to the cheers of many, to the new church where he performed the consecration ceremonies.

The weather was atrocious, which delayed the blessing of the graveyard. The huge marquee which had been set up to accommodate over 800 guests was almost swamped with the deluge - strawberries floating in dishes of water!

Eventually the great company did sit down to a sumptuous meal over which the Bishop said Grace before giving a hearty speech.

The Rector, Archdeacon Thorp, who had paid for the repast and all the other expenses, must have been greatly relieved it was all completed and the collection on the day was over £123.

The Bishop stayed overnight and next day conducted a service of Confirmation when 49 Kemerton parishioners were confirmed along with 15 from other parishes.

The villagers said farewell to the bishop that evening by preceding his coach with torches and the village and church all being illuminated.

Tiny Kemerton intends to celebrate those memorable days of over 150 years ago with a big day on Sunday. After the morning service leading musicologist Dr Donald Webster will be lecturing on the Musical Revival of those Ecclesiologists, at noon.

After a ploughman's lunch Christopher Webster, an architect and lecturer at Staffordshire University, will talk about the Camden Society's effect on the English Church.

At 4.30pm the Bishop of Gloucester, the Rt Rev David Bentley, will preach at a Choral Evensong sung by the Choir of Tewkesbury Abbey School directed by their new choirmaster Ben Nicholas.

Further details about the day can be obtained from churchwarden Barbara Orritt on 01386 725 483.