Children from Bisley Blue Coat Church of England Primary School will be dressing their village wells with flowers on Thursday, May 13 to celebrate Ascension Day, writes Sue Bradley.
This year will be the 158th year the ceremony has place. The tradition was started in the village in 1863 by Rev Thomas Keble, Bisley’s vicar for almost 50 years, to give thanks for the village’s clean water.
Since then the school has continued to hold the Ascension Day celebration with the help of parents and grandparents, who create the striking floral arrangements carried by the children.
The wells dressing event will begin with a church service, after which a procession, headed by members of the clergy, will lead youngsters through the streets to the ancient water head in Wells Road.
Children and Year 6 parents will return to school afterwards for afternoon tea.
Expected times for wells dressing: Church service at All Saints’ Church 1.30pm; procession 2pm; wells service 2.20pm.
Due to Covid restrictions on social distancing, we have to limit the church service to school pupils and staff and Year 6 parents. Year 5 parents will be marshalling the roads for the procession. We do not wish to attract crowds on the day. We would therefore invite members of the public to come and view the wells in the days that follow whilst the flowers are still fresh.
