Candles on St Catherine’s Hill

Sunday 24th November 2024

Our 2024 event was curtailed by Storm Bert, which produced such strong winds that we couldn’t set our lanterns onto the hill, and had to relocate to the Strangways Hall, where the Workshop was taking place. We made the circle on the floor and here are some photos taken by one of our volunteers, Angela Brann.

It was surprisingly effective and moving all the same.
We have saved all the completed bags and stored them to place on the hill in 2025 together with the newly completed bags. Assuming another storm does not intervene!

The singing and service both were held at St Nicholas Church instead of in the Chapel.

Considering the high winds and heavy rain, it was surprising how many people came to join us to celebrate St Catherine’s Day.

Thank you to all the volunteers and to our visitors.

Candles on St Catherine’s Hill will take place on Sunday 23rd November 2025

Click on the images below to enlarge

The project is being run by Friends of St Nicholas.
Led by: Julie Evans, Gard Gawor, Barbara Laurie

St Catherine of Alexandria is the patron saint of the chapel on the hill in Abbotsbury.
We celebrate on the nearest convenient Sunday to St Catherine’s Day, 25th November.

The event for Candles on St Catherine’s Hill, Abbotsbury, took place on Sunday, 26th November 2023. St Catherine of Alexandria is the patron saint of the chapel on the hill in Abbotsbury.
We celebrate on the nearest convenient Sunday to St Catherine’s Day, 25th November.

It was a horrible, rainy day while the decorated bags were placed in a circle on the hill and along the pathway leading to the Chapel.
The service inside St Catherine’s Chapel, led by our wonderful Vicar, Margaret Preuss-Higham started at 3.45 pm and this year the hymn was accompanied by an a Capela group.

The wonderful artistic efforts of the children from Portesham Primary, Thorners Primary , Burton Bradstock Primary, St Catherine’s Bridport and Chesil Bank Pre-school, in decorating candle bags were much admired.

As with all successful community events there are many people to thank including our sponsors who make the whole thing possible. Our special thanks go to Beachcombers, Burton Bradstock Parish Council, Chesil Bank Parish Council, Doonans of Weymouth purveyors of sand! , Fourniers, Graham Hunt Photography, Ilchester Estates, Litton Cheney Parish Council, Sherrens the Printers, Technical Graphics.

Thanks also to our local Abbotsbury shops for helping us to sell bags: Abbotsbury Village Store, Cherries, Robins Farm shop, Danzel Gallery, Helen Millard Gallery, Abbey Farm, Clare Hawkes Gallery, From My Mother’s Garden, Duircrafts and this year for the first time the Tourist Information shop in Bridport came on board.We heartily thank you all for your support which is much appreciated.

The event was run by members of the Friends of St Nicholas a charity whose aim is to maintain the fabric of our historic church. Led by: Julian Andrews, Julie Evans, Gard Gawor, Helen Millard, Barbara Laurie