Ale Mary... Church revives medieval festival with specially brewed beer

A DALE church is having its own ale brewed to resurrect a medieval tradition and add a new dimension to its biennial Christmas tree festival.

The festival hosted by St Mary’s Church, in Barnard Castle, is undergoing a major revamp this year with an extended opening period and a new folk carols evening, complete with a specially bottled Ale Mary beer.

Some 50 six-feet Christmas trees, each decorated by businesses, schools and community groups, make up the festival which will run from December 6 to 10.

Only three trees still need sponsors.

The vicar, Revd Canon Alec Harding, said: “That happened very quickly. We have a lot of support from schools and businesses. It is lovely to have that support.”

This year’s theme is “musicals” and people visiting the festival can take part in a quiz to identify which trees are part of the theme and which musical they represent.

School choirs, music groups and a ukelele band will be performing during the evening opening times and throughout the day on the Saturday. Mr Harding said: “We are arranging for the care homes to come in so they can have private viewings during the day.”

A unique addition to the festival is a Sheffield Carols type event that takes place on the final evening.

The brainchild of the church’s director of music Annette Butters, the evening sees people singing along to folk carols and hymns.

The vicar said: “People will have a chance to enjoy the beer or mulled wine, and suitably lubricated, to sing along heartily.”

The church has ordered 30 dozen bottles of the Ale Mary beer from Tyne Bank Brewery. The 4.1 per cent copper-coloured bitter is brewed from carefully selected malt to give a hint of caramel and English hops to give notes of berry fruits.

Beer being sold at church festivals dates back to medieval times and would be used to cover the cost of maintaining the church, Mr Harding said.

Even the word bridal is derived from bride and ale – weddings were expensive so the bride and groom would brew an ale which they sold to help cover the cost, he explained.

Mr Harding added: “It used to happen all the time but it went out of fashion after the reformation.”

All cash raised during the festival will go towards the church funds.

The vicar said: “We are looking to raise £3,000, not a huge amount of money. It is a fundraiser, but we are not charging people to come in.”

People visiting the festival will be encouraged to make a donation and take part in a raffle.