THE three-day Wotton Flower Festival attracted a steady stream of visitors over the Bank Holiday weekend, despite the unwelcome and persistent rain on Saturday.
The ancient St John's Church was ablaze with colour from all the floral exhibits.
The theme of the festival was the words of the 17th diarist John Evelyn, who lived at Wotton House and was educated in the church itself. He is buried in the church, along with other members of the Evelyn family.
A bunch of talented flower arrangers worked hard to put the finishing touches to the floral creations and vivid summer blooms from the garden of Alan and Jill Bridger, at Hollow Lane, added to the vibrancy of the hues.
There was an increase in visitors to the festival as the weather improved on Sunday afternoon and Monday.
On Monday – the August Bank Holiday – a fete was held on the meadow behind Wotton village hall, next to the Wotton Hatch.
Scores of people turned up to support the event, which was raising money for the upkeep of the ancient church and its bells.
Cream teas were consumed in large numbers inside the hall, as visitors enjoyed the return of the warm summer sunshine.
A tombola, nearly-new clothes stall, produce table and face-painting all proved popular, along with many other attractions.
"It went very well indeed and we had many, many visitors," said a delighted churchwarden, Barbara Rowling.
Work on the restoration of the external fabric of the church has now been completed and attention will now be turned to the three ancient bells, which could prove a very costly exercise to restore to their former glory.
