St. Michael & All Angels Church, Great Oakley
Absolutely stunning. This is the hidden gem of churches. No-one seems to have heard of it and when my now husband and I were out and about one evening, we drove over to Great Oakley to scope it out ahead of the wedding I was going to do. We couldn't find it and literally drove round and round (hangry I have to add), visiting at least two other churches in the area before stumbling upon it. I suppose if something is so hidden, it is definitely worth finding.
It is as though you have entered another era and fallen into a fairytale. Once through the gate, the driveway opens up into a sprawling private estate. It is just gorgeous and the church is walled off and obscured by trees and shrubbery further adding to the fairytale mystique giving it a magical mystique. Just breathtaking.
The Wedding Day
On the wedding day, I was early, which was fortunate considering it still took me some time to find the church. Still early, I parked my car beside some trees, just off the driveway. It was then a short walk to the church. Apart from the birds, it was quiet. I meandered along the driveway, up to the path, through the gate and into the church yard.
To the left side of the church, at the foot of the bell tower was a bench. To the left of it, a brass plaque, with the words, 'Mary, I think about you every day, Arthur.' Touching and sad, I wondered who they were.
Shortly after, the vicar arrived. I needed to test out the lighting in the church and he invited me in through the little side door, by the bench. I told him that I was touched by the plaque and asked him about it.
A Heartwarming Story
He explained that you are not meant to have a plaque erected if the person isn't buried at the church. Mary isn't, he told me. But Arthur would come every day and sit on the bench to feel at peace, remembering his wife. So they allowed him the plaque. Honestly, what a beautiful thing. There is nothing more heartwarming than a love story.
After the ceremony, while the guests all lined up ready for confetti, the vicar brought the newlyweds outside for a little break. He kindly sat them on the bench, giving them a Mr Kipling slice to eat while they waited.
Sorrow & Joy
I had the thought that there was something moving about this being the place that Arthur had sat each day, lovingly remembering his lost wife. And the place where now newlyweds would first sit, just starting their married life together.
A silent witness to both sorrow and joy, where memories of a lost love linger in the air, and yet, it cradles the promises of new beginnings.
This is one of my most favourite church weddings, both for the beauty of the church and its surroundings and for the heartwarming story it gave.
