News & Events

We’re pleased to have Eve Howes back in our fold, playing music for us twice a month. This follows an episode at home waiting for rescue! I’m sure Eve will tell you about it…

This is a photo of a lunch we held in church on 3 May when the Bishop of Crediton took our service. Making use of our newly created meeting area.

On the 1st March 2026 the Bishop of Exeter took our Communion Service.  Jeff Slade (churchwarden) is standing with Bishop Mike outside of church.

Distributing Mothering Sunday posies at St Edmund’s

On a glorious Good Friday, some of the parishioners plus Rev Susan and Les walked the Walk of Witness carrying the cross from Dowland to Dolton,St Edmunds.

This event was held to packed out audiences at 3.00pm and 5.30pm on Sunday 26th February. We are extremely fortunate to have two very accomplished musicians with a home in the parish of Iddesleigh who offered to bring other prestigious musicians to form the first performances of the Quartet. If … Read More

The Church in Monkokehampton had asked us if Alan’s Man-Barn could be used for their Plough Sunday Service on Sunday 15th January. We had never been to a Plough Service before but readily accepted the challenge and duly prepared our Barn with a Fergie Tractor borrowed from our friend John … Read More

We were delighted to be able to host our Christingle service with proceeds going to the Children’s Society. I am reliably informed that over £1,000 went to the society through donations, Christmas card sales and money boxes which are filled by individuals throughout the year. Huge thanks to the Allin … Read More

A stunning floral memorial and seat of remembrance designed to commemorate the lives of three local young men who gave their lives for our country

We had a beautiful morning to say our own goodbyes to our late Queen at a commemorative Service in her honour on Sunday 18th. A day full of endings and beginnings God Bless and keep you, Ma’am.

While I was beginning to draft this article, the nation received the sad news of the death of our longest serving and faithful Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. Despite her 96 years and obvious frailty the late Queen was a symbol of enduring dependability. Her faith in Jesus Christ, which was … Read More

As I sit and write this article on a beautiful hot summer’s day, it is hard to imagine that all of us are going to be faced with challenging times this autumn and winter.  Current forecasts from the Bank of England, the cost of energy supplies, and grim warnings from … Read More

The Dedication of a tree in Bobbie Paine’s memory on August 7th, following the morning service at St Edmund’s Church.

Last month, I spoke of being in ‘Ordinary time’.  The Sundays during this time are counted from Trinity Sunday which was 12th June.  August 7th will be 8th Sunday after Trinity. Trinity is the only major festival that celebrates church doctrine rather than an event and was instituted by Pope … Read More

Were you aware we are in ‘Ordinary’ time?  You might respond that, with the way the world, or even our country is at the moment, it is surely anything but ordinary!  Yet in the church year, the time between the major festivals is known as Ordinary time. It is a … Read More

For the Queens Jubilee 2022, Church and Chapel, Craft group and School plus many assorted donors of miscellaneous items, combined to offer these  displays. It was a memorable weekend full of friendship and goodwill. Dolton gave us four days of celebrations and we responded like this!

This month we as a nation will celebrate a truly amazing milestone which has never been reached by any other British Monarch and will not be for at least next two generations of monarchy.  We will celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of HM the Queen.   I don’t know about you, but … Read More

North Devon Bell Ringers Service and Competition The North Devon Bell Ringers Service and Competition took place in church last Saturday. It was such a special day, sunny and warm, celebrating the old tradition. They rang till around 6pm from lunchtime and needed the lovely tea put on by Sue … Read More

Mrs Sharpe, the head said: “Each year as we come to summer I think they are so good we will never get a group of kids like this again and do you know what? Each year we do.”

The memory tree stood in the church on Easter Sunday covered in remembrances of mums, dads, grannies, nans, grandads, children, brothers, sisters, friends and family – as a witness that they are never wholly gone in live on always in our hearts.

Beverley Thouless led the ‘Walk of Witness’ on Good Friday.  We walked from Dowland to Dolton, carrying a cross as part of the churches observance of Holy Week.

Palm Sunday 10th April Benefice Palm Sunday at St James, Iddesleigh, with some unusual visitors.

The Rector’s Ramblings April 2022 I am sure that you, like me have watched news reports of the Ukrainian war with horror and disbelief.  The plight of the Ukrainian people is heart-breaking.  As a church we have sent a donation to the Disasters Emergency Committee, and individually many have responded … Read More

Rehearsals for a play reading we did for the village and the school. It was eventually put on in early April. It was well received specially by the children for whom it was written. A story of Noah and the ark cleverly morphed into a message about the need to … Read More

The strange thing about writing an article for the Diary is that it has to be written weeks before the magazine is published.  This means that by the time it appears, any forecast made could be completely wrong.  This is particularly true of the Covid Pandemic and whether or not … Read More

In uncertain times, what sheer joy to be able to rejoice in the celebration of Christ’s birth with singing, even with the constraints of using masks. Rev Susan Oldham

At this time of year it is often dark when I arrive home.  Walking is very important to me but walking in the dark means I have to make myself visible to vehicles on the road, which means I wear a fluorescent jacket and carry a torch.  As I walk … Read More

Yesterday, 31st October, we welcomed  the Right Reverend Jackie Searle, the Bishop of Crediton, who presidided at our benefice service  this time at St Edmunds. It was a lovely occasion. A gathering, all suitably protecting and protective of each other, of members of all the churches in the benefice. Afterwards, … Read More

The Harvest Festival followed by a delicious pasty and cider lunch at All Saints Church, Monkokehampton on Sunday 17th October. Even the weather was wonderful as we met to give thanks for the harvest and God’s generous bounty for the first time since the pandemic. We also took the opportunity … Read More

A big thank you to Paul, Eddy, Darryl, Steve, Ozan, Miles, Frances and  Brenda for their recent attack on the overgrown bit of the graveyard. It was a lovely day and we got tons done.

Weekend of 24/25th July. Devon Wildlife. Moth trap and wildlife survey in the churchyard. Overnight a moth trap was set up to discover what we had hiding in the walls, headstones and hedges. These are the results.

The Nativity outside St Edmunds. In a churchyard not far away…. Thanks to Jeff and Val Slade and to Shaun Craze.

Saturday 15th August  2020. We celebrated the wedding of Elizabeth Allin and Terence Aggett. Another first for St Edmunds in lockdown.

This was St Edmunds PCC meeting last Wednesday afternoon, August 5th. It almost rained, a local cow kept putting her oar in, we had to dodge the traffic noise and the wind in the trees above us. Some of us juggled the paperwork with the necessity of staying upright and … Read More

St Edmunds, Dolton opened tentatively again after three months of closure this morning with a Morning Prayer service. There were 20 of us spread out across the church and it did seem quite alien at first. We came in brilliant sunshine, suitably distanced, but delighted not only to see familiar … Read More

You may have heard that the Government have said churches can now open. Perhaps we should emphasise it is for private prayer only. The Church of England have a wide range of church communities and not all of them are able to provide a safe environment for worshippers and church … Read More

Our church buildings may be closed for services at the moment, but the spirit of VE Day 2020 was evident in the church porch at St James’, Iddesleigh

Though as a Benefice we are unable to walk together this beautiful Good Friday morning, Bev Thouless has walked the journey and taken photographs for us to join in. Let us all give thanks for the beauty that surrounds us as we remember those suffering today, as a result of … Read More

A few images of a most enjoyable evening which began with the annual harvest service in St James and concluded with an auction of produce following the supper in the Northcott Hall at Iddesleigh. Huge thanks to our wonderful auctioneer Andy Lane who provided much mirth during the proceedings.

Here is a picture of a small group of parishioners who walked with Rev Susan Oldham on Saturday 21st September 2019 from church to church – Monkokehampton to Dolton – to take part in the annual ‘Ride and Stride’. This is an event held to raise the profile of churches … Read More

In June 2019. A spectacular display in Dowland St Peters Church

Click for a gallery of photos

The lilies that grace our church at Easter will be gifts from members of our community given in memory of loved ones. If you would like to take part in this, please leave your name and dedication with a contact number on the list at the back of the church … Read More