Regular Monthly Services (before Covid)

1st Sunday Holy Communion 9:00am

2nd Sunday Benefice Service (rotated around the five churches) 10:30am

3rd Sunday All Age Worship 10:30am

4th Sunday Morning Worship 9:00am

5th Sunday Benefice Service (rotated around the five churches) 10:30am

Other Services

September/October: Harvest Festival 

November: Service of Remembrance

December: Carols by candlelight 

December 24th: Midnight Mass or December 25^th Christmas Day Holy Communion (alternate years)

The Village

With an estimated population (2019) of 526, Fenny Drayton, which is now considered a hamlet as there are no amenities other than the church, bestrides the old Roman Fenn Lanes. Until the 20^th century, it was mainly a collection of farms and rural cottages with most of the current buildings appearing in the 1960s and 70s.  There was a school, two shops and a pub but because times have changed these have all closed. 

Life of the Church

There are a number of events that take place during the course of the year which involve parishioners, residents of the village and the wider community. These vary from year to year but some are as follows: 

• Flower Festival or September Fayre with Sunflowers throughout the village
• Burns night
• St. Patrick’s Day Irish night
• Easter Egg hunt usually on the Saturday before Palm Sunday
• Summer Fayre with cream tea usually in June
• Harvest Supper in October
• Christmas Fayre
• Coffee morning every other week on Thursday from 10:30am until 12.30. 
• Friday night with friends, which is held on the first Friday of the month. Each month there is a different food theme and this is on a ‘bring and share’ basis.  It is an opportunity for people to meet their neighbours.

All these activities take place in the church or the grounds of the church as there is no other Community meeting place in the village.

History of the Village

Fenny Drayton, or Drayton-in-the-Clay as it was originally known, is the birthplace of George Fox, the founder of the Quaker movement. A memorial to George is situated within the village. His father was the Churchwarden and was known in the area as Righteous Christer.  The bier, on which George Fox’s father was carried, is in the church.  George was baptised in the church and the oldest, lead lined, font is believed to be one used for his baptism. He developed his religious ideas through conversations with the vicar at the time, possibly spending time sitting under the ancient circle of twenty-eight yew trees in the churchyard.  This is believed to be one of the oldest rings of yews in the country. Along with Witherley, Fenny Drayton received reparations from Henry VII to pay for the damage done by his troops to the villagers before the Battle of Bosworth.   Legend states that Dick Turpin stabled his horse, Black Bess in Fenny Drayton. 

St Michael and All Angels Church

The church was originally built in the 12^th century with much of it remodelled in the 14^th century. The north aisle was added in the 16^th century and the church was again remodelled in 1860.The church contains a number of monuments to the Purefoy family, the most impressive being the 17^th century canopied chest tomb of George Purefoy and six family members. It has a recumbent effigy and Corinthian columns.  Above and behind the effigy are the kneeling figures of two of his three wives and on the side of the chest are the kneeling figures of his children. There is another monument to Nicholas Purefoy, who died in 1545, and his wife.  This consists of an alabaster chest tomb with two incised effigies, arcaded sides depicting weepers, and is executed in the Renaissance style.  This is believed to be the only of this style left in a church in the country. A further massive double monument in memory of Edward and George Purefoy, dated 1596 is situated in the Chancel.  Other large memorial tablets are on the walls of the church and in the floor.