VILLAGERS have come up with weird and wonderful designs to help celebrate a landmark anniversary.

Residents are staging a four-day ‘Celebration with Flowers’ festival from July 5 to 8 to mark the 750th anniversary of the founding of St Oswald’s Church in Lower Peover.

As part of the festival villagers are being invited to decorate their gates, with Elspeth Turner, Sally Aspin and fellow residents coming up with imaginative designs for gates installed at Smithy Green in the run-up to and during the festival.

In 1269 a chapel of ease was built at Lower Peover on the site where the church now stands, by Richard Grosvenor, who lived at Hulme Hall, and this site has been a place of worship ever since.

Lower Peover is an exceptional example of a medieval oak-framed church, and is renowned for its 14th century timber framing.

Throughout the festival the church will be decorated by Knutsford Floral Design Club, which will be creating flower arrangements depicting significant dates in the history of the church.

Local organisations, pupils from Lower Peover Church of England Primary School and The Little House Montessori Nursery will be decorating parts of the churchyard.

On Friday, July 5 at 7.30pm, a concert in St Oswald’s Church will feature entertainment by soprano Linda Richardson and Warrington Male Voice Choir. For tickets see peoverchurches.org.uk

Fifty years ago, when Lower Peover celebrated 700 years since St Oswald’s Church was founded, a 7th centenary pageant about the history of the church and the village, known as the Peover Saga, was held in the church grounds.

Many local people will still remember watching and being involved with the pageant. A film of the Peover Saga will be projected on screen during the ‘Celebration with Flowers’.

On Saturday, July 6, St Oswald’s will be holding the annual church fete, as usual, from 12pm.

On the morning of Sunday, July 7 at 11am there will be a special service at St Oswald’s to commemorate 750 years since it was founded. The guest preacher will be Reverend Canon Dr Christopher Burkett, Director of Ministry, Diocese of Chester.

Refreshments will be available throughout the festival, and as part of the event residents living in the parish have been invited to decorate a gate. This will include decorations with plants, bunting, ribbons and lights.