Cushions Children

About the village

Alderminster is a small village built along the A3400 main road between Stratford upon Avon and Oxford and is about half way between Stratford and the pleasant market town of Shipston on Stour.

The River Stour, a tributary of the River Avon, runs through farmland close to the village. The parish has a population of about 420 and includes Goldicote which comprises the former Goldicote Hall, converted into a number of residences, together with other scattered properties. There is a variety of housing, old and new, and a mixed population of farmers and other local working people, retired people and young families. Agriculture is the main industry throughout the parish but there are a number of small industrial units at the former Brickyard, Goldicote and at Ettington Park close to the very up-market Ettington Park Hotel. The Peugeot dealer for the Stratford area has a garage in the village. There is also a Radio and Television shop and a private hire service based in the village. ‘The Bell’, the only pub in the village, is popular locally as a good eating place. There is no village shop or school.

The village has a Village Hall at which a number of village organisations regularly meet. These include a Gardening Club and a Monday Evening Group at Alderminster (MEGA) that meet monthly. Once a month a modern film is shown through a rural cinema scheme. There is also ‘The Amblers’ a an informal walking group that includes people from the other parishes within the Group, which meets monthly for a stroll of around 5 miles before lunch at a suitable hostelry. On the first Saturday of every month, except August, a village breakfast is held at the Village Hall. This has become a well established feature of the village life. During the winter months there is a ‘Tea and Chat’ in the Village Hall to which all residents are invited.

The 'Friends of St Mary and the Holy Cross' was formed following a Parish Appraisal that showed that there was considerable goodwill, and a desire to preserve the fabric of an historic building and local landmark. ‘The Friends’, an independently registered charity that successfully raised its own funds through a variety of social activities, has been very generous in its donations towards the cost of maintaining the Church fabric. At present this organisation is in need of new leadership if it is to continue, the original Committee having resigned after a decade of hard work.

Plans for the future

In October 2008 we held a special Gift Day, inviting everyone in the parish to contribute towards the cost of developing and redecorating the little-used and shabby South Transept. Our vision was to make this a welcoming space for the whole community; to share information about our church and churchyard, village, history and wildlife; to be a hospitable place, and a haven of peace in a busy world. We raised enough money to carry out the first Phase, and thanks to a grant funded by the DCMS via the Church of England Church Buildings Council, and upon receipt of a further Faculty from the DAC, we plan during 2012 to install a direct water supply and a drainage system, which will complete the kitchen and servery already in place in the Outer Vestry.

Services in Alderminster

St. Mary and Holy Cross

The next services in Alderminster are listed below. To see the full calendar of services in Alderminster, click here.