1st century Palestine comes to Shropshire village

Parishioners from eight Shropshire communities will come together on Sunday to re-enact the Christmas story in one of the villages.

People from Churchstoke & Hyssington, Wentnor and Ratlinghope, Myndtown, Norbury, More, Lydham & Snead will meet in Norbury.

“We are inviting everyone who wants to take part to dress up and come along,” said Rev Norman Morris, the parish priest. “But not in your ‘Sunday best’ …dress up as an angel or a shepherd or even as a Roman!”

The crowd will move from the local pub, the Sun Inn, to the church and then on to a stable at a nearby farm. Those involved are encouraged to bring a torch and be prepared to sing their favourite Christmas carols which will tell the well known story.

“The Sun Inn will be the place that will uncharacteristically turn us away, while the church will double as Herod’s palace,” said Rev Morris. “We will end up in a stable at Lea Farm and you never know what might happen. We will sing as we go and create a truly magical event.”

Norbury is a tiny community on the west side of the Long Mynd between the hill and the Welsh borders. It is one of the least populated and rural parts of Shropshire where sheep outnumber the local inhabitants.

“It is very easy at this time of year, given our geography, to imagine all too easily that Norbury is first century Palestine,” added Rev Morris. “The ‘Roving Nativity’ is a brilliant way of bringing the Christmas story to life, a story which is still wondrous however old or young you are.”