News & Events

Swanage Town Carol Service

The Swanage Town Christmas Carol Service takes place on Sunday 16th December at 6.30 p.m. in St Mary's Church. The music is provided by orchestra, choir and organ and readers represent all the churches in Swanage, with the Mayor of Swanage…

St Nicholas' Church - Christmas Carol Service - 11th December

The Studland Carol Service is to be held on Tuesday 11th December at 6.30 p.m. All Welcome

"Come and Sing" Choral Evensong - 9th December

“This Sunday’s “Come and Sing” Evensong will give our visitors the chance to join with the choir to sing some wonderful Advent music. The lovely carol “The Angel Gabriel” will open the service and then our singers will get the chance to sin…

The Purbeck Village Quire

The Purbeck Village Quire invites you to celebrate the Christmas Season with them on Sunday 9th December, 4pm at the United Reformed Church, High Street, Swanage.

Launch of Swanage Town Council Community Awards

At the end of last week, nominations opened for Swanage residents to suggest people and groups in the town who have made a special contribution to the community. We are all asked to think of those who are our outstanding possibilities for …

Advent Sunday - 2nd December 2018

Advent Sunday Special Services: Christingle Service at 4.00 p.m. in All Saints’ Church Advent Carol Service in St Mary’s at 6.30 p.m.

'Explore' Event at St Mary's

Saturday morning fun! A free event for primary school children. Come and join the fun at St Mary's Church on Saturday 1st December, 10.30am - 12 noon

John & Jane's USA road trip almost over...

A quick summary of our journey since Monterey on the 5th November. A wonderful drive down the Pacific Highway. Reminiscent of Cornwall but on a grand scale! So many “vista” opportunities and a whole beach full of basking Elephant Seals. A s…

Remembrance Sunday Town Service

The Remembrance Service for the Town of Swanage is to take place today, 11th November, at 2.30 p.m. A parade is to leave the Mowlem Theatre at 2.00 p.m. arriving at St Mary's Church for the service. The parade is to leave the church after…

John & Jane in Monteray...

Today I am writing from Monterey on the west coast, about 100 miles south of San Francisco, after a deviation through the Yosemite National Park. It is Sunday 4th November, and the end of daylight saving on the west Coast

A Service in Which to Remember...

This Sunday, 4th November, there will be a service at 6.30pm in St Mary's Church, Swanage. There is a general invitation every year to all who have lost loved ones, both in the past few months, and longer ago, to attend a service at All …

Invitation to 'Come & Sing' Service on Sunday 4th November

On Sunday 4th November at 6.00pm we shall be joined, as usual on the first Sunday, by extra singers from across the Purbeck area who enjoy augmenting our regular choir to sing Choral Evensong.

John & Jane's Blog from the USA...

It is ten days since our last message. We are now on the west coast in San Francisco. So how did we get here? Most importantly we returned to Atlanta to do our washing! A quick flight to Chicago followed.

All Souls Service - 4th November

A Service in Which to Remember: Sunday, 4th November 2018, 6.30pm at St Mary’s Church, Swanage Each year, near to All Saints’ Day and the season of Remembrance, we hold a service to remember those who have died during the past year, as …

Candles and bells mark the beginning of 11 days of Remembrance

The Royal British Legion in Swanage is inviting everyone to mark the beginning of 11 days of Remembrance in the town, with lanterns and candles, at St Mary's Church at 7.45 p.m. on Thursday 1st November. The church bells will be ringing ha…

Cooper Blog...

“We move on to the “serious leafs peeping” which occurred in two venues either side of the Kancomagus Highway, a 37 mile leisurely journey with lots of places to stop and gasp.

Harvest Explore Session

On Saturday 13th October, children and parents arrived at St Mary's for a special activity time for Harvest. The children made corn dollies, designed biscuits, made a collage with leaves and seed heads, and Kevin Burke entertained everyone…

Cream Tea at URC

The Wave Team and Trustees warmly invite our friends and supporters, old and new, to join them for a delicious cream tea...

John & Jane's USA Adventure

We have been out of cyber reach for 4 days whilst in the State of Maine. We have been staying in an Airstream Caravan with no wifi and have deliberately avoided TV or Radio on our travels, but now we are back in the world once more.

"Come and Sing" Harvest Evensong

Singers are invited to come and join St Mary's Choir for Choral Evensong for Harvest on Sunday 7th October. Please arrive for the rehearsal at 4.00 p.m. All music will be provided. There will be a cup of tea for thirsty singers before th…

More of John & Jane's USA Trip

2nd October 2018 - Yesterday Jane and I went solo. After time with our son and daughter-in-law in Atlanta, friends in Columbus and Lima Ohio, we are now in Pennsylvania on the banks of Lake Erie.

John & Jane Cooper in the USA

Hello from Atlanta! We are re acclimatising to 32 degrees C. However the Episcopal church of the Epiphany was beautifully air conditioned. Everyone was just leaving as I took these photos, and a la St Mark’s and St Mary’s people stay to li…

Peter Burtwell 60 years a priest

Canon Peter Burtwell will celebrate 60 years as a priest on St Matthew's Day, 21st September. He was ordained deacon in Ripon Cathedral in 1957, and priest in St Margaret of Antioch, Leeds in 1958. We wish him every blessing in his contin…

Folk Festival Thanks You

Thank you so much to all who contributed to the folk festival service offering in St Mary’s last Sunday, which is to go to the Christian Aid emergency appeal for the flood victims in Kerala, in India. You will be thrilled to know the tota…

Invitation to Cream Teas on the Lawn

Jenny & John Lazenbury invite you to any one of their Cream Tea’s at 127 Victoria Ave., on 12/13/14 September, from 2.30pm onwards. Proceeds from voluntary contributions, to be shared between St. Mark’s Hall & Church Fund, Marie Curie Nurse…

A celebration of 60 years a priest

Peter Burtwell has been retired and living in Swanage for more than twenty years. In that time he has been fully active in the team ministry of Swanage and Studland as priest. On 21st September, St Matthew’s Day, Peter will have been a pr…

Come & Sing Evensong and a Message from Simon Lole

On the first Sunday of September, - Sunday 2nd – at St. Mary’s Church in Swanage by having another “Come and Sing” Choral Evensong. We are aware that there are a good number of singers in the local deaneries who love to sing choral evensong…

Swanage Folk Festival Service - 9th September

The Swanage Folk Festival is to take place on the second weekend in September as in previous years. St Mary’s has a very special (and quite different and informal) morning service, and looks forward to welcoming many visitors on Sunday 9th …

The Reverend John Cooper’s last Sunday as ‘resident priest’ at St Mark’s

On Sunday 2nd September there is to be a special service at 10.00 a.m. in St Mark’s to celebrate five years of John Cooper’s ministry in St Mark’s Church.

New Website for St Nicholas, Studland

A beautiful new website is now live for St Nicholas’ Church which gives much more detail than the section on Studland on the Swanage Team website. You may access it by clicking on the link to St Nicholas on the home page of this website an…

Annual Lifeboat Service

The Annual Swanage Lifeboat Service will be held on Sunday 19th August at 6.00pm at the Lifeboat House. Please note that this is a new venue for this service as in previous years it has been held on Swanage Pier.

Ringing Remembers...

1,400 bell ringers died during the First World War. Honour their memory by becoming one of 1,400 new bell ringers this year and be part of a nationwide moment...

Ringing for Peace - Armistice 100

Battle's Over.... A Nation's tribute - 11th November 2018. 100 years of Remembrance. Be part of history...

Final organ recital cancelled

After a fine run of three organ recitals, that have been well attended and much enjoyed, we have, sadly, had to cancel that by Simon Lole which should have been held next Thursday, 9th August. We are looking forward to hearing it sometime …

Choral Evensong 5th August

Choral Evensong at 6.30 p.m. on Sunday 5th August will be happening as usual on the eve of the Transfiguration of our Lord, however it is not to be with extra choir singers and additional rehearsal as has been the case for the past few firs…

Parish Fete ~ Thank You

On behalf of the Fete planning group may I say a very sincere thank you to all who played a part whether small or large, in making the 2018 Grand Parish Fete last Saturday such a success with so many generously contributing goods and items …

Organ Recital at St Mary's

Robert Quinney is Organist of New College, Oxford. In addition to the daily direction of New College’s world-famous choir, his work comprises teaching, lecturing, and examining, as a Tutorial Fellow of the college and an Associate Professor…

Total raised by Swanage Parish Fete

Whilst parish fetes are not just about fund-raising, and it was lovely to such a happy occasion last Saturday, on the other hand we are all eager to know how much has been made! The total, with perhaps a little more still to come, to be sh…

Pictures from the Swanage Parish Fete 21st July 2018

The sun shone, the queue was forming by 11.30 a.m., the smell of the barbecue drifted enticingly across the grass, and the Mayor opened proceedings at 12.00 noon! It was a good day. Many thanks to all who worked so hard for its success!

Swanage Parish Fete: Saturday 21st July, 12 noon to 4.00pm

The annual Swanage Parish Fete is on Saturday 21st July from 12.00 noon to 4.00 p.m., in the grounds of St Mary’s Church....

Link Visiting Newsletter

Art Workshop is FOUR years old! Thank you to everyone who has helped us towards this success! Art Workshop is a charity with premises in central Swanage, dedicated to providing accessible art sessions for everyone, regardless of artisti…

WAVE News - Summer 2018

To our Wave Friends, Supporters and Volunteers, We hope you like our new logo….the Team are very proud of it. It was lovely to see so many of you at the Summer BBQ on June 16th. Thank you for coming, and we hope you had fun. It seems…

Summer Music at St Mary's

Organ Recital - Thursday 12th July at 7.30pm in St Mary's Church, Swanage David Poulter was born in Kent and educated at The Kings School, Rochester and at The Royal College of Music, London where he was a Foundation Scholar and Walford …

Confirmation Service 8th July 2018

Bishop Karen visited Swanage for a Confirmation service last Sunday and nine candidates were confirmed. It was a very happy occasion and the Bishop, speaking from the Gospel of the day, and the sending out of the twelve disciples by Jesus,…

Confirmation Service - 8th July

A service of confirmation and eucharist is to be held in St Mary's Church on Sunday 8th July at 10.30 a.m. Bishop Karen will preside and nine adults are to be confirmed: Sam Brooke, Barbara Crowley, Gemma Elleray, Ian Kimber, Solomon Lamb, …

Team Rector receives Honorary Doctorate for work in Belfast

Former Dean of Belfast, the Very Revd John Mann, said the award of Honorary Doctorate from Ulster University was a ‘surprise and a huge honour.’ John was Dean of Belfast for six years before moving to Dorset last September as Team Rector…

"Come and Sing" Choral Evensong for July transferred from 1st to 8th July

Please note that due to the Swanage Town Civic Service being at 3.00 p.m. on 1st July, and involving the Choir, the service in St Mary's at 6.30 p.m. is to be said Evening Prayer, rather than Choral Evensong, which, on the first Sunday of t…

Gordon Stewart - Organ Recital

Gordon Stewart was born in Scotland and after studies in Manchester and Geneva with Gillian Weir, Eric Chadwick and Lionel Rogg, he was for 15 years a cathedral organist, first in Manchester then in Blackburn. For 28 years he has been Borou…

Concert at St Mary's

The Dorset County Orchestra will be presenting their Summer Concert at St Mary's on Saturday 23rd June at 7.30pm.

"Come and Sing" Choral Evensong 3rd June

An invitation from Simon Lole: On the first Sunday of June, - Sunday 3rd – we are going to have the second of what is a new initiative at St. Mary’s Church in Swanage by having an “Open” Choral Evensong (on 6th May the choir and congrega…

The Link Visiting Scheme, Swanage

Welcome to the Summer edition of the Link Visiting Scheme Newsletter...

Any Questions?

We have the privilege of a visit from Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons and Honorary Chaplain to the Queen who led prayers at the Royal Wedding on Saturday. She will lead a discussion on 'Faith and …

Pentecost Praise

Churches Together in Swanage and District held "Pentecost Praise" in St Mary's Church on the afternoon of Pentecost Sunday. The service included well-known hymns and songs, familiar readings and an uplifting interview by Nick Viney of Mark…

Celebrating the Royal Wedding - A Saturday morning of fun with crafts, talk and song!

Summer Organ Recitals at St Mary's

A year after the organ's successful rebuild, St Mary's are hosting four organ recitals. The series will open on Thursday 28th June with a recital by Dr Gordon Stewart who is one of England’s finest concert organists.

Ascension Day early services

Ascension Day began in St Nicholas with a celebration of Holy Communion at 6.30 a.m.; the sun casting its brilliant light across the churchyard and through the east window. At 9.00 a.m. the Churches Together gathering was in the open air,…

"THY KINGDOM COME" - an invitation to join us in ten days of prayer!

Churches Together in Swanage and District is promoting ten days of prayer starting on Ascension Day, 10th May. For full details click here....

'All Things Bright and Beautiful' starts 1st May

The new weekly, mid-week, afternoon service in St Mary's, specially for all experiencing memory loss or dementia - and for all who are caring for and supporting others - begins at 2.30 on Tuesday 1st May. All welcome..

St Mark's Church Birthday!

Yesterday, 29th April, St Mark's Church held its patronal festival, transferred from last Wednesday (St Mark's Day is 25th April). It was a very happy occasion with twelve children and over forty adults present. There was a cake and candl…

Reflecting on Spring Harvest 2018

ALL SAINTS TO SPRING HARVEST – 8th to 12th APRIL 2018 ‘Only the Brave’ was the theme of this year’s Spring Harvest and 106 determined disciples (mostly from All Saints) made their way to Minehead to find out what it was all about. Feeli…

Latest Wave Newsletter

The April/May issue of the Wave Newsletter can be found by clicking here!

'Come and Sing' Choral Evensong!

On the first Sunday of May, - Sunday 6th – we are going to start a new initiative at St. Mary’s Church in Swanage by having an “Open” Choral Evensong.........

East Dorset Quarterly Meeting - Salisbury Diocesan Guild of Bellringers

On Saturday 21st April, St Mary's Swanage hosted the Quarterly Meeting of the East Dorset Branch of the Salisbury Diocesan Guild of Bellringers. Ringing from 2.00 p.m. until 4.00 p.m. was followed by a service conducted by the Team Rector …

Lay Ministry Celebration in Salisbury Cathedral

Today, Saturday 21st April, 2018, from across the Diocese of Salisbury over 1,000 people gathered in the cathedral to celebrate and affirm lay ministry in the parishes......

New weekday service - especially to encourage all who are living with dementia

On Tuesday afternoons from 1st May onwards, at 2.30 p.m. in St Mary's Church, we are beginning a special service that we hope will be helpful for those who either are experiencing some degree of memory loss or are supporting others who have…

Pimms & Hymns...

Come and enjoy Pimms & Hymns at St Nicholas Church, Studland on Sunday 22nd April at 6.30pm. A less formal form of Worship. To include some much loved traditions, and a time to be refreshed Everyone will be welcome

Team Rector awarded Lambeth Cross for Ecumenism

The Very Reverend John Mann, Team Rector of Swanage and Studland received the Lambeth Cross for Ecumenism from His Grace, The Archbishop of Canterbury, at an awards ceremony held at Lambeth Palace on Friday 6th April 2018.

First TPot for Easter

10.30 a.m. and the first Wednesday of the month and it must be TPot in the Rectory Classroom...

Easter at St Nicholas', Studland

St Nicholas starts to fill up for the Easter Sunday Service and little Elodie wins the Giant Easter Egg Raffle!

Easter fire

The new paschal candle was lit from the Easter fire last night outside St Mary's, blessed and brought into the dark church. The light was shared and the story of our redemption retold from the Scriptures to the announcing of the Resurrecti…

Flower arrangers at work in all four churches!

Easter Day, and daffodils and lilies, primroses and tulips fill our churches. They express new life and beauty and joy. Thank you to our flower arrangers. These pictures are mostly work in progress during today. All four churches will l…

Good Friday 'Explore" Junior Church session

Baking Hot Cross Buns and making Easter Gardens and Easter Cards etc., fully occupied thirty-six children, parents and leaders for an hour on Good Friday morning......

Maundy Thursday to Easter Day Services

Details of the services across the four Anglican churches and Churches Together events over the four days from Maundy Thursday to Easter Day

Anticipating Spring Harvest 2018

On 8th April, seventy-five of us from All Saints (and another twenty-five friends and relations) will be off to Butlins at Minehead for five days of fellowship, friendship, teaching, learning, worship and fun! We’re off to Spring Harvest (…

St Mark's School in Church for Easter services

The children and staff of St Mark's Primary School attended St Mark's Church for their Holy Week and Easter services on Tuesday 27th March; KS1 in the morning KS2 after lunch

Why not start the Aldhelm Certificate?

What is the Aldhelm Certificate? How do I sign up? Read on for more details.....

Pastoral Letter from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York

23 March 2018
  
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
 
 “so, Jesus got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, d…

Holy Week and Easter in Swanage and Studland

Details of all the services in the four Anglican Churches on Swanage and Studland from Palm Sunday to Easter Day, plus Churches Together in Swanage and District events for Holy Week and Easter

St Nicholas' Mothering Sunday Service

St Nicholas' Studland on a sunny Mothering Sunday

St Mark's Mothering Sunday Service

Mothering Sunday at St Mark's

Special session of Explore! - Thinking about Mothering Sunday!

Mothering Sunday Preparations - Saturday 10th March Can you make a cake by magic; choose a card for Mum without seeing it, conjure flowers from an empty bag? Maybe not, but Kevin can! Children and parents, friends and helpers from All …

Parish Giving Scheme

Parish Giving Scheme to be launched in Swanage on 1st March. The Diocese of Salisbury is encouraging all parishes to join the Parish Giving Scheme.