By Margaret Crosby

Last updated 11:48, Thursday, 04 September 2008

A DAY full of pride and enthusiasm for a village community will take place on Saturday, September 13 at St Michael’s Church, Arlecdon, and all are welcome.

The event, which runs from 10.30am to 4pm will not only celebrate the successful restoration of the church tower at St Michael’s but also see the launch of a stunning new book and DVD, the result of the hard work and endeavours of Arlecdon History Group.

The group, which numbers 13 and is led by tutor Maureen Fisher, took advantage of a generous Heritage Lottery Grant to aid research into the story of their own locality, including Asby, Rowrah, Winder, Eskett and Lamplugh, as well as Arlecdon.

And what a journey it’s been. Digging deep, researching old records, interviewing local people and then piecing it all together.

It’s been well worth it and Arlecdon – A Journey Through Time is a fantastic achievement and a must-have for everyone’s local reference library. With its publication comes a DVD, A Stroll Around Arlecdon and District, a collection of 300 stunning images, old and new. Both will be on sale, £5 each, or £8 for the two, at Saturday’s launch or from Frizington CDC.

Saturday’s event opens with the Rev Peter Turnbull giving an address about the refurbishment project.

Copeland MP Jamie Reed will be there and there’s an exhibition being put on by the History Group, who have also secured the parish records showing all births, deaths and marriages recorded in the parish for the last 100 years.

Anyone with a connection to the locality will find it an interesting read.

A picture gallery of previous church incumbents has been compiled by Roy Elsam

At 2pm Cleator Moor Brass will play and there will also be an organ recital in the morning and bell-ringing at 10.15am.

Refreshments are available at the Adams Hall and a shuttle bus can take people there from the church.

It’s a bumper weekend for local history buffs, with Arlecdon’s event, a Heritage Fair, running at The Beacon and a Heritage Trail visiting Whitehaven’s dissenting churches.