Last Sunday, St Thomas' Church in Henbury held the traditional Plough Sunday service. This is a service that has taken place here for decades, very probably every year since the church was built in 1845.
Plough Sunday is a traditional English celebration of the beginning of the agricultural year, which can be traced back at least as far as the 15th century. The service is held during the season of Epiphany between 7th and 13th of January. A plough is usually brought into the church and prayers are said over it.
At St Thomas', the work of local sheep farmers is also recognised through the blessing of a lamb. Work in the fields would not begin until the day after Plough Sunday.
Although farming has changed dramatically since St Thomas' Church was built, Plough Sunday is still seen as a way of celebrating farming and the work of farmers.