THE village of Avening adopted a medieval look and feel last Saturday as residents celebrated the biannual Avening Feast and Queen Matilda's Pageant, also known as Pig Face day.

Almost 100 local residents dressed in costume and participated in the traditional event which commemorates Queen Matilda (wife of William the Conquerer) hosting a feast and consecrating Avening Church in 1080.

Local legend states that widowed Queen Matilda fell in love with a local resident named Brictric (The Saxon Lord of Avening), but unfortunately for the married Brictric, he did not return her love.

Matilda was so devastated by his lack of interest that she stripped him of his estate and had him thrown in a dungeon, where he subsequently died.

Years later, overcome with guilt, she gave the village a church & feast as a way of repentance, and so it was that the Church of the Holy Cross was built at Avening in 1080. To this day it remains the only church in the UK that was commissioned by a reigning Queen

Every two years the villagers of Avening meet and re-enact the feast, which over the years has become formally known as the Avening Feast and Queen Matilda’s Pageant, and informally known by locals as Pig Face day.

Organiser of this year’s event and Avening Parish Councillor Click Mitchell said: “I was pleased so many local residents embraced the event and got involved. Almost 100 villagers of all ages gathered in costume and we had an absolute blast.

"It was a lot of fun and we can’t wait to do it all again in 2020”.

Chairman of Avening Parish Council Tony Slater was also full of praise for the event. He commented “I was delighted the Parish Council supported the event which resulted in a fantastic, fun afternoon for everybody in the village. It’s so important we keep these old traditions alive, and in particular I was pleased so many young people attended and embraced this tradition”.

For more information about Avening church and the Pig Face day feast, please visit Avening Parish Council website at avening-pc.gov.uk