Events at: St Margaret’s Church, Thorpe Market

St Margaret's Church | Thorpe Market

St Margaret’s Church, Thorpe Market

contact:  info@thorpemarket.org.uk

website: thorpemarket.org.uk

In the 1990s, threatened with closure, we thought that in order for our small village church to survive into the 21st century we had to engage with as wider cross-section of the local and wider community as possible.

In 1998 we set about improving the facilities at the church to provide for unlimited community activities whilst keeping a pattern of regular worship. The church now has: Toilet, kitchen, car park, level access.

The building is in an excellent state of repair with new roof, effective heating, modern lighting inside and out. The back pews have been removed to provide a welcoming space.

The church is equipped with versatile demountable staging, cinema screen with video projection facilities, sound system, classical organ and piano, black-out blinds, exhibition boards that run 23 metres around the walls.

St Margarets is a small building, Georgian not medieval so no pillars in awkward places and can seat around 100. Its compactness makes it suitable for the more intimate events and its acoustic is wonderful.

2017 will see 5 art exhibitions by local artists.

Cantamus Choir, formed at the church in 1998, uses the building as a rehearsal studio and performance space.

Snowdrop Sundays in February welcomed over 2000 visitors from near and far this year.

Used books are also recycled, mobile bookshelves allow a village library/shop to be displayed around the church.

For the future we hope to extend performing arts events, starting with a concert by Mundesley Community Choir on September 29th and a Chalk Reef Theatre production of “Lady Bracknells Confinement” on October 14th. The idea of a village cinema just needs a film buff to kick-start it using already-owned equipment.