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St. Peter's Village Tour PDF Print E-mail
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Friday, 29 June 2007 16:53

ImageSt Peter's Village tour is an excellent example of a church-led tourism initiative that has made an impact on the visitor experience in this community. It involves a guided walk around the historic village and churches of St. Peter's, an attractive and lively village near Broadstairs in Kent, where the past is dramatically brought to life by costumed characters.

St. Peter's Village Tour dates back to 1994 when a small group of people, including Brian Sleightholm, showed members of a society around the Parish Church. It was then that he considered such a tour might have a wider appeal if it included the rest of the village. A tentative start was made at Easter 1995 incorporating nine costumed characters who were kept a secret until the visitors met them. It was thought it might generate enough interest to run for a few weeks.

How wrong could they be! The secret of the costumed characters was shattered when they were filmed by Meridian T.V. Before the end of the first season a scroll was presented to the 1,000th visitor, a lady from Australia. Visitors of all ages have come from all over the world. A further scroll was given to a lady from Ontario for being the 2,500th visitor in May 1997. Visitors have since exceeded 15,000.

Victorian Wedding
Victorian Wedding re-enactment, St Peters 2004 (photo: Thomas Page Swaine)
During the tour, visitors meet people in costume from past centuries. They visit the flint built Parish Church, with history going back over 1400 years, and then hear the fascinating story of the Baptist Church covering over 350 years. Other subjects include conditions in the workhouse, breakfast concerts for hundreds of fashionable people, the farmyard given a new lease of life, the tower used in the Napoleonic wars, famous local residents - and much more.

The tour is less than a mile of flat walking and takes around two and a half hours, including a break for tea or coffee (not evenings).  There is no charge, but at the end visitors are invited to contribute towards the costs, including insurance, which average £1.50 per visitor.

Awards won by the Tour include:-

  • Hoverspeed Hospitality Award
  • Thanet Council- Tourism
  • Commonwealth War Graves Commission Award
  • NPI/ Sandford Heritage Education (National)
  • Interpret Britain-Community Heritage (National)
  • Welcome Host Corporate Award
  • Kent Award for Volunteering Excellence
  • Age Resource/Unigate South East England and National Winners
  • Broadstairs and St. Peter's Town Council presented the Tour with a Town Plaque in recognition of a valued amenity to the town.
  • Pride in Thanet Awards 2007: VOLUNTEER TEAM AWARD. 

Tour Dates 2007

  • Every Thursday from 10th May to 20 September either in the morning, afternoon or evening
  • Afternoon Tours at 13.45 on May 24th and 31st, July 26th, August 9th and 30th.
  • Evening Tours at 18.30 on June 14th and 28th, July 5th and 19th.
  • Morning Tours at 09.45 on all other Thursdays.
  • Heritage Saturday Tour at 09.45 on September 8th.

St Peter's Tour website http://www.villagetour.co.uk/ 

Enquiries (01843 ) 868646

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Last Updated on Friday, 29 June 2007 16:59
 
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