Brief History of Ingestre
Ingestre is mentioned in the Domesday Book, but a settlement was here as early as the Bronze Age, which recent investigations have revealed. The manor of Ingestre passed through marriage from the De Mutton to the Chetwynd and Talbot families, several of whom will be represented in a costumed procession during the Festival.
The Hall is now owned by Sandwell Education Authority and used as an Arts Centre. Sir Walter Chetwynd had it built in a Jacobean style in 1613 and it was rebuilt in the same style in 1882 after a fire substantially destroyed it. The Hall will be used during the Festival for exhibitions, for the Ceilidh and for fine dining.
The Church of St Mary the Virgin at Ingestre is a gem. This beautiful building, reputedly designed by Christopher Wren, was completed in 1676 and replaced an earlier church. There is a fine screen and ornate pulpit with work by Grinling Gibbons. It has always been a Parish Church, a church for the people, and continues to be used by the villagers and community. It will be used for exhibitions and concerts during the Festival and the Pilgrimage Service in the village will culminate here.
Image to the right of the inside of Ingestre Church taken by Patrick Lichfield
