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Fairacre #7
The Fairacre Festival: A Novel
Discover these “novels about the gentle rhythms of English village life,” as a community bands together to save their beloved local church (The New York Times). The first day of October brought an unheralded and violent storm, which whipped through the quiet English village of Fairacre, blowing down trees and telephone poles—and, worst of all, damaging the roof of St. Patrick’s church. The inhabitants of tiny Fairacre can’t imagine how they’ll be able to afford the repairs, until Mr. Willet suggests a fundraising festival. Preparations for a food sale, concert, school play, and gigantic Christmas bazaar are soon made—but will they be enough? With her customary humor and grace, Miss Read recounts a story of catastrophe and courage. “If you’ve ever enjoyed a visit to Mitford, you’ll relish a visit to Fairacre.” —Jan Karon “Miss Read reminds us of what is really important. And if we can’t live in her world, it’s certainly a comforting place to visit.” —USA Today
116 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1968
90 people are currently reading
458 people want to read
About the author
Miss Read
158 books514 followersDora Jessie Saint MBE née Shafe (born 17 April 1913), best known by the pen name Miss Read, was an English novelist, by profession a schoolmistress. Her pseudonym was derived from her mother's maiden name. In 1940 she married her husband, Douglas, a former headmaster. The couple had a daughter, Jill. She began writing for several journals after World War II and worked as a scriptwriter for the BBC.
She wrote a series of novels from 1955 to 1996. Her work centred on two fictional English villages, Fairacre and Thrush Green. The principal character in the Fairacre books, "Miss Read", is an unmarried schoolteacher in a small village school, an acerbic and yet compassionate observer of village life. Miss Read's novels are wry regional social comedies, laced with gentle humour and subtle social commentary. Miss Read is also a keen observer of nature and the changing seasons.
Her most direct influence is from Jane Austen, although her work also bears similarities to the social comedies of manners written in the 1920s and 1930s, and in particular the work of Barbara Pym. Miss Read's work has influenced a number of writers in her own turn, including the American writer Jan Karon. The musician Enya has a track on her Watermark album named after the book Miss Clare Remembers, and one on her Shepherd Moons album named after No Holly for Miss Quinn.
In 1996 she retired. In 1998 she was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for her services to literature. She died 7 April, 2012 in Shefford Woodlands.
She wrote a series of novels from 1955 to 1996. Her work centred on two fictional English villages, Fairacre and Thrush Green. The principal character in the Fairacre books, "Miss Read", is an unmarried schoolteacher in a small village school, an acerbic and yet compassionate observer of village life. Miss Read's novels are wry regional social comedies, laced with gentle humour and subtle social commentary. Miss Read is also a keen observer of nature and the changing seasons.
Her most direct influence is from Jane Austen, although her work also bears similarities to the social comedies of manners written in the 1920s and 1930s, and in particular the work of Barbara Pym. Miss Read's work has influenced a number of writers in her own turn, including the American writer Jan Karon. The musician Enya has a track on her Watermark album named after the book Miss Clare Remembers, and one on her Shepherd Moons album named after No Holly for Miss Quinn.
In 1996 she retired. In 1998 she was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for her services to literature. She died 7 April, 2012 in Shefford Woodlands.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
October 12, 2025
Our villagers had severe damage to their 800 year old church roof from a falling tree, so everyone pulled together to raise the money to fix it. This very short book again highlighted what happens when co-operation is the order of the day.
May 9, 2020
I don't know how it is with you, but my wife and I have a running joke that one way of ensuring either of us never read a book is for the other to recommend it. We have very different reading tastes: my wife's ideal, as she says herself, is a book where nothing much happens, there are no particularly high stakes, and everyone ends up reasonably happy ever after. The wife (Harriet) is the most voracious reader I know, probably reading over 200 books a year, whizzing through them at the rate of three or four a week! She reads to calm what is the most active, imaginative and empathic of minds, one that will engage so completely in the drama on the page that it's for her own good that she avoids the grimmer reaches of modern fiction (although she is kind enough to read my stories in manuscript and, at times, when the mood is right, she will whizz through a whole shelf of classics).
Among her favourites has long been an author named 'Miss Read', a rather precious pseudonym it seemed to me, the pen name of one Dora Saint. Miss Read wrote tales of rural English life set in two villages, Fairacre and Thrush Green, where, as would be expected in any English villages outsider Midsomershire, nothing much happens. The Fairacre novels are written in partial first person by, in a metafiction device before anyone else had ever heard of metafiction, Miss Read herself: an unmarried teacher who is headmistress of the the one-form village school (it literally is one form, not one-form entry, with everyone above the infants taught in the same class by Miss Read). Harriet has read and reread every single one of the Miss Read books (the smaller set featuring Miss Read and the larger set written by 'Miss Read'), returning to them in times of stress and difficulty to settle back into life at Fairacre. The stories are set in a slightly indeterminate time, both between the Wars and in the two or three decades after the end of the Second War.
There, you can tell how much and often Harriet had recommended the books to me by the amount I know about them without even reading one. But then, finally, barricaded in the small room to find some peace and solitude during this lockdown, I realised my only companion, and reason for staying longer in this grabbed-for chance for privacy, was a Miss Read book, Fairacre Festival, left on the floor by Harriet. So, I picked it up. I started reading it. And ended having the family check on me that I hadn't died on the toilet!
It's a delight. The story itself is light: a storm damages the roof of the parish church and the village rallies round to stage a festival to raise funds for its restoration. But the skill and dexterity of its telling revealed a master literary craftsman at work. The story is written in partial first person, with some chapters told from Miss Read's (that is, the village headmistress) point of view and others in third person. The shifts between perspective are done effortlessly, without the reader realising any of the craft that went into smoothing out these transitions. The style itself, apparently so simple and unaffected, serves to put all the reader's attention on the story and characters: it is the purest of storytelling and among the cleanest examples of prose writing I have read, comparable, if truth be told, to the literary cleanness and clarity of no less a writer than Evelyn Waugh.
The hardest thing of all is to write simple stories. Ornamentation serves to hide any underlying weaknesses, but strip this off and all that is left is story: people and plot. Miss Read (her real name was Dora Saint) wrote simple stories of ordinary people leading normal lives and infuses them with a particularity and place that makes them, effectively, timeless. A masterclass in writing. I will have to read some more of Harriet's recommendations.
Among her favourites has long been an author named 'Miss Read', a rather precious pseudonym it seemed to me, the pen name of one Dora Saint. Miss Read wrote tales of rural English life set in two villages, Fairacre and Thrush Green, where, as would be expected in any English villages outsider Midsomershire, nothing much happens. The Fairacre novels are written in partial first person by, in a metafiction device before anyone else had ever heard of metafiction, Miss Read herself: an unmarried teacher who is headmistress of the the one-form village school (it literally is one form, not one-form entry, with everyone above the infants taught in the same class by Miss Read). Harriet has read and reread every single one of the Miss Read books (the smaller set featuring Miss Read and the larger set written by 'Miss Read'), returning to them in times of stress and difficulty to settle back into life at Fairacre. The stories are set in a slightly indeterminate time, both between the Wars and in the two or three decades after the end of the Second War.
There, you can tell how much and often Harriet had recommended the books to me by the amount I know about them without even reading one. But then, finally, barricaded in the small room to find some peace and solitude during this lockdown, I realised my only companion, and reason for staying longer in this grabbed-for chance for privacy, was a Miss Read book, Fairacre Festival, left on the floor by Harriet. So, I picked it up. I started reading it. And ended having the family check on me that I hadn't died on the toilet!
It's a delight. The story itself is light: a storm damages the roof of the parish church and the village rallies round to stage a festival to raise funds for its restoration. But the skill and dexterity of its telling revealed a master literary craftsman at work. The story is written in partial first person, with some chapters told from Miss Read's (that is, the village headmistress) point of view and others in third person. The shifts between perspective are done effortlessly, without the reader realising any of the craft that went into smoothing out these transitions. The style itself, apparently so simple and unaffected, serves to put all the reader's attention on the story and characters: it is the purest of storytelling and among the cleanest examples of prose writing I have read, comparable, if truth be told, to the literary cleanness and clarity of no less a writer than Evelyn Waugh.
The hardest thing of all is to write simple stories. Ornamentation serves to hide any underlying weaknesses, but strip this off and all that is left is story: people and plot. Miss Read (her real name was Dora Saint) wrote simple stories of ordinary people leading normal lives and infuses them with a particularity and place that makes them, effectively, timeless. A masterclass in writing. I will have to read some more of Harriet's recommendations.
January 19, 2023
This is short and sweet story about the community of Fairacre (and beyond!) coming together to raise money to repair the church after it was damaged in a windstorm. It's got all the Fairacre regulars with some amusing moments and some moving moments. I felt for the vicar, Gerald Patridge, especially since he has some tough decisions to make. The town I went to college in and lived in through my 20s had a big windstorm that damaged buildings on campus and the campus church, so this felt eerily close to home in that respect. All ends well though. I look forward to discussing this with my #FollowustoFairacre group.
November 27, 2020
(3.5) I’m not sure why I’d never tried anything by ‘Miss Read’ (the pseudonym of Dora Jessie Saint, a teacher turned author who was based not far from me in Berkshire) until now. She wrote two series of quaint novels set in the fictional villages of Fairacre and Thrush Green; this is #7 in the Fairacre series. Miss Read, her narrator, is a schoolteacher who records her wry observations of all the local happenings. After an autumn storm damages the church roof, the parishioners are dismayed to learn the renovations could cost £2000. No amount of jumble sales, concerts and tea dances will raise that much. So they set their sights higher, to an Edinburgh-style festival with a light show and an appearance from a famous opera singer. But it’s not going to be smooth sailing now, is it? This was cozy, quaint fun, and if I wished it had been a full-length book, that means I’ll just have to begin at the beginning with 1955’s Village School.
January 6, 2023
This was a lovely little novella with lots of village coziness, but not long enough to really have an engaging plot or even lots of time with the characters.
January 16, 2024
The Fairacre Festival was written by Miss Read and published in 1968. It is the 7th book in the Fairacre series. This is a series set in a small English country village. This is one of the shorter books in the series and follows the village’s inhabitants as they rally together to raise money after a windstorm damages their very old and historic church. They come up with so many different events in order to raise the funds as part of their ‘ Fairacre Festival’.
I always enjoy a trip to Fairacre. It’s always pleasant escapist reading. I loved the sense of community in this one and everyone’s ideas to raise money. It was a heartwarming and sweet tale. This one is mostly from Miss Read’s perspective. Not only is that the name of the author, but the title character of these books. The schoolteacher of this village. I always delight in her perspective. It tends to have a hint of humour.
I’m looking forward to continuing reading this series.
I always enjoy a trip to Fairacre. It’s always pleasant escapist reading. I loved the sense of community in this one and everyone’s ideas to raise money. It was a heartwarming and sweet tale. This one is mostly from Miss Read’s perspective. Not only is that the name of the author, but the title character of these books. The schoolteacher of this village. I always delight in her perspective. It tends to have a hint of humour.
I’m looking forward to continuing reading this series.
February 8, 2017
Miss Read's books were written a long time ago. They are perhaps old-fashioned in content and have a gentleness that attracted me. They all have humour and poignancy. This one is typical of all of her books. Many years ago I read them. As a Primary school teacher at that time they had a certain appeal and I enjoyed reading them. I chose to read one again after all these years and it made for pleasant reading. Not for everyone I would imagine.
July 10, 2021
Fairacre Festival is the seventh in the Fairacre series by Miss Read. One night, the town is hit by a terrible storm that topples a tree onto the church. The village comes together to raise money to repair the church, including hosting the first ever Fairacre Festival, a week long event.
Like all the books in the series, I love that this one tells the tale of a small village coming together. This probably wasn't my favorite because it was light on our beloved characters, but it's also shorter than most of the books in the series. So, it was a quick read, but still enjoyable.
Like all the books in the series, I love that this one tells the tale of a small village coming together. This probably wasn't my favorite because it was light on our beloved characters, but it's also shorter than most of the books in the series. So, it was a quick read, but still enjoyable.
February 13, 2025
I always have the best times in Fairacre and Thrush Green. This little book tells of the troubles they go through to earn money to fix their beloved church and save the Queen Anne’s chalice. Alls right at the end and everything is satisfactory.
“He pushed aside his papers and went into the garden for a breath of air. It was a quiet, gentle day with no breath of wind, a contrast indeed with the fury of the first of October last year when disaster had struck. “
“He pushed aside his papers and went into the garden for a breath of air. It was a quiet, gentle day with no breath of wind, a contrast indeed with the fury of the first of October last year when disaster had struck. “
February 4, 2023
A return to form after two mis-fires ("Miss Clare Remembers" and "Over the Gate" did not hit the mark for me.) This is the gentle tale of a storm ravaged community rallying around to fix their church's damaged roof and the quotidian miracles that bring about the restoration. Gentle, wry humor: check. Familiar characters: check. An actual semblance of a story line: check. Definitely recommend if you've enjoyed any of Miss Read's other books.
January 23, 2020
Another delightful story
If you want to get lost in rural England and fall in love with a charming village Miss Read’s Fairacre books are your ticket.
If you want to get lost in rural England and fall in love with a charming village Miss Read’s Fairacre books are your ticket.
May 2, 2020
I normally spread my Fairacre reads out a little because I want them to last, but it’s the period for comforting reads like this series. Expect one more review of these books coming up soon!
At the start of The Fairacre Festival, the village of has been struck by a huge storm, causing major damage to the roof of St. Patrick’s Church. Repairs are expected to cost around two thousand pounds, but how will they raise the money? Mr Willet’s suggestion of a fundraising festival is adopted and the village throws itself into preparations.
This is a slim book, shorter than the other Fairacre chronicles, but it still packs a punch. The entire village has gathered to raise funds for their beloved Church, with even the infants pitching in with a demonstration. Despite the fact that the book starts with a huge storm, this is a much cosier and gentler book than some of the others; everyone is working towards a goal and you pretty much know that things are going to end well.
While you don’t have to have read the previous books in this series to enjoy Fairacre Festival, I’d still recommend getting to know the characters through the other books first. There isn’t much character-building going on in this book and if you don’t understand why characters like Mrs Pringle, Mr Mawne, and the rest are the way they are, a bit of charm may be lost.
This is a quick and comforting read for when you need something uplifting.
This review was first posted at Eustea Reads
At the start of The Fairacre Festival, the village of has been struck by a huge storm, causing major damage to the roof of St. Patrick’s Church. Repairs are expected to cost around two thousand pounds, but how will they raise the money? Mr Willet’s suggestion of a fundraising festival is adopted and the village throws itself into preparations.
This is a slim book, shorter than the other Fairacre chronicles, but it still packs a punch. The entire village has gathered to raise funds for their beloved Church, with even the infants pitching in with a demonstration. Despite the fact that the book starts with a huge storm, this is a much cosier and gentler book than some of the others; everyone is working towards a goal and you pretty much know that things are going to end well.
While you don’t have to have read the previous books in this series to enjoy Fairacre Festival, I’d still recommend getting to know the characters through the other books first. There isn’t much character-building going on in this book and if you don’t understand why characters like Mrs Pringle, Mr Mawne, and the rest are the way they are, a bit of charm may be lost.
This is a quick and comforting read for when you need something uplifting.
This review was first posted at Eustea Reads
August 25, 2024
A shorter novel - a nice look at a community coming together to help repair the damage a storm does to their venerable church building.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2021
This was for the “Physical Copy” spot on my #bookbingochallenge
April 16, 2021
This one perhaps doesn’t reach the heights of the previous books, but a comforting and lovely read nonetheless. In this novella-sized visit to Fairacre, a severe storm damages the ancient St. Patrick’s Church, and the townsfolk have to put their heads together and come up with a way to raise funds for the necessary repairs.
Honestly, I could be easily persuaded to up my 4 stars to 5, for any of the following reasons:
• The illustrations: Book after book, these simple pencil drawings charm my socks right off.
• Miss Read’s ability to transport me into Fairacre: In one scene, an audience gathers for a performance, and I could practically feel the warmth of the shoulders to either side of mine.
• Miss Read’s voice!: Wise, witty, compassionate, and frank. Her candid remarks are refreshing, and still unexpected, coming as they do from this quaint little town’s dependable schoolmistress.
This series is truly a treasure.
Honestly, I could be easily persuaded to up my 4 stars to 5, for any of the following reasons:
• The illustrations: Book after book, these simple pencil drawings charm my socks right off.
• Miss Read’s ability to transport me into Fairacre: In one scene, an audience gathers for a performance, and I could practically feel the warmth of the shoulders to either side of mine.
• Miss Read’s voice!: Wise, witty, compassionate, and frank. Her candid remarks are refreshing, and still unexpected, coming as they do from this quaint little town’s dependable schoolmistress.
This series is truly a treasure.
September 15, 2019
This book shows Fairacre at its very best.
The village of Fairacre is famous for its ferocious storms, but one night in early October, a blow comes through that does more than tear laundry off clothes lines and relocate chickens from their rightful coops. The copse of elms near St Peter's Church is a beloved landmark, but when the storm uproots one of them, everyone wishes the elms had been a bit further away.
St Peter's Church is an ancient one, with parts dating back to the Norman invaders. It seems ageless and indestructible, but a huge tree falling on the roof shows that it's as vulnerable as any other building. The damage is extensive and will be expensive to repair. And where will the money come from?
The diocese says there are no funds for repair and Fairacre and the other small villages served by the church are inhabited by people of modest means. With the best will in the world, those with small incomes can spare little for church repairs.
A discussion on the subject shows the effects of a changing English economy. Chronically disgruntled Mrs. Pringle bemoans the fact that "the gentry" can no longer be relied on. Sensible Bob Willet points out that wealthy families are struggling under heavy taxation. Changes brought about by Labour Party governments in post-WWII England raised the standard of living for the majority of the population. But the flip side is that there are fewer philanthropists with open wallets.
But if Fairacre is short on money, it has a wealth of energy and resourcefulness. In the determination to repair St. Patrick's Church, both long-established residents and new-comers pitch in and offer their ideas and talents. It's quite surprising what a small village can do when everyone is united in a common goal.
Vicar Gerald Partridge is loved by church-goers and sinners alike, but figures are not his strong suit. Fortunately, Fairacre is now home to the Mawnes. Mrs. Mawne may be bossy and unpopular, but Henry Mawne's practical nature and competence with money is a God-send, especially in this emergency. Another newcomer, Scottish architect Jock Graham offers his services for free. But the cost of the repairs will be far beyond the ability of the villages to raise locally. What to do?
Local celebrity Basil Bradley has some good ideas. A prolific writer of popular "bodice-rippers", he's a great favorite with the ladies and also a generous, knowledgeable man. He proposes that the village hold a week-long festival to raise money, with the center of attraction to be a nightly sound-and-light show telling the history of the church and highlighting some of its beauty.
Of course, the festival will have to be held in June to take advantage of England's famously short summers. But will enough people come to raise the necessary money? If the festival fails to raise enough money, the alternative is to sell the "Queen Anne" chalice from which generations of Fairacre residents have taken Holy Communion. It would be a heart-breaking sacrifice, but the bills MUST be paid.
Fortunately, the roads to Fairacre go both ways. A former resident who has emigrated to America comes to visit family and provides help in a totally unexpected way.
During the year of the crisis, life in Fairacre goes on. School children continue to provide amusement for their teachers while sometimes driving them close to homicide. In spite of the "all-pull-together" spirit, there are the usual number of arguments and feuds among neighbors. Human nature may be elevated by facing a common enemy, but no one's likely to become a saint. Mrs. Pringle gives grudging approval of the Festival and its success, but there are still stoves to be polished and floors to be mopped and (as Miss Read knows all too well) these labors will be accompanied by grumbling, criticism, and (sometimes) outright mutiny.
This is one of my favorites in this out-standing series. If you haven't discovered Fairacre, you should!
The village of Fairacre is famous for its ferocious storms, but one night in early October, a blow comes through that does more than tear laundry off clothes lines and relocate chickens from their rightful coops. The copse of elms near St Peter's Church is a beloved landmark, but when the storm uproots one of them, everyone wishes the elms had been a bit further away.
St Peter's Church is an ancient one, with parts dating back to the Norman invaders. It seems ageless and indestructible, but a huge tree falling on the roof shows that it's as vulnerable as any other building. The damage is extensive and will be expensive to repair. And where will the money come from?
The diocese says there are no funds for repair and Fairacre and the other small villages served by the church are inhabited by people of modest means. With the best will in the world, those with small incomes can spare little for church repairs.
A discussion on the subject shows the effects of a changing English economy. Chronically disgruntled Mrs. Pringle bemoans the fact that "the gentry" can no longer be relied on. Sensible Bob Willet points out that wealthy families are struggling under heavy taxation. Changes brought about by Labour Party governments in post-WWII England raised the standard of living for the majority of the population. But the flip side is that there are fewer philanthropists with open wallets.
But if Fairacre is short on money, it has a wealth of energy and resourcefulness. In the determination to repair St. Patrick's Church, both long-established residents and new-comers pitch in and offer their ideas and talents. It's quite surprising what a small village can do when everyone is united in a common goal.
Vicar Gerald Partridge is loved by church-goers and sinners alike, but figures are not his strong suit. Fortunately, Fairacre is now home to the Mawnes. Mrs. Mawne may be bossy and unpopular, but Henry Mawne's practical nature and competence with money is a God-send, especially in this emergency. Another newcomer, Scottish architect Jock Graham offers his services for free. But the cost of the repairs will be far beyond the ability of the villages to raise locally. What to do?
Local celebrity Basil Bradley has some good ideas. A prolific writer of popular "bodice-rippers", he's a great favorite with the ladies and also a generous, knowledgeable man. He proposes that the village hold a week-long festival to raise money, with the center of attraction to be a nightly sound-and-light show telling the history of the church and highlighting some of its beauty.
Of course, the festival will have to be held in June to take advantage of England's famously short summers. But will enough people come to raise the necessary money? If the festival fails to raise enough money, the alternative is to sell the "Queen Anne" chalice from which generations of Fairacre residents have taken Holy Communion. It would be a heart-breaking sacrifice, but the bills MUST be paid.
Fortunately, the roads to Fairacre go both ways. A former resident who has emigrated to America comes to visit family and provides help in a totally unexpected way.
During the year of the crisis, life in Fairacre goes on. School children continue to provide amusement for their teachers while sometimes driving them close to homicide. In spite of the "all-pull-together" spirit, there are the usual number of arguments and feuds among neighbors. Human nature may be elevated by facing a common enemy, but no one's likely to become a saint. Mrs. Pringle gives grudging approval of the Festival and its success, but there are still stoves to be polished and floors to be mopped and (as Miss Read knows all too well) these labors will be accompanied by grumbling, criticism, and (sometimes) outright mutiny.
This is one of my favorites in this out-standing series. If you haven't discovered Fairacre, you should!
January 21, 2014
Not the usual village saga but I like it because its a complete little story which involves the whole Fairacre community pulling together to support the church in its time of need. Its a book I read every summer sitting under the lilac tree in my garden, English country life at its best.
June 17, 2019
This installment to the Fairacre series is a bit different, but like all of them, quite delightful and touching.
A severe storm hits Fairacre in the night of October 1st, and an ancient elm tree is uprooted, crashing onto the roof of St. Patrick’s Church. When the estimate comes in at around £2000, all of Fairacre is dismayed. Where on earth will they get the money to repair it?
The church council discusses the usual fund raising methods: jumble sales, whist drives, teas, folk dancing displays, etc. Then Mr. Willet suggests having all of these during a Fairacre Festival week, and everyone likes the idea. Mr. Mawne, however, suggests looking into the possibility of selling the church’s solid silver chalice that was made during the reign of Queen Anne - very ornate and heavy and valuable - that is used for high Holy days. This is not a popular idea, to say the least; the vicar is outraged at the mere idea. So, that suggestion is shelved for the time being.
The village works very hard to prepare for the Festival; everyone invites friends and relatives, no matter how distant. Major Gunning, having suggested a Son et Lumière showing the history of the village and its church, has a cousin who is an opera singer, and he arranges for her to perform. Even a young pop star is contacted to sing at the Gala Dance (He has a car wreck before the Dance, breaking two ribs and sustaining a concussion.
Nonetheless, events go off as well as could be expected, except that a passing thunderstorm causes a temporary power outage during the first Son et Lumière performance. The Festival has been widely advertised and turnout is tremendous. The postmaster has a brother, George Lamb, who, twenty years earlier, had emigrated to America; he happens to be coming to England on a business trip, and he and several colleagues attend.
Well, after the Festival is over and the money counted, they still come up several hundred pounds short. The vicar is pressured to consider the unthinkable, selling the chalice. Then he receives a letter from George Lamb; he and several of his business associates and a couple of English ladies now living in America have pooled their contributions in a cheque for $2000! The vicar is speechless; his wife is unbelieving: ‘Not even Americans are as rich as that!’ 😂
So happy endings all around! Exactly a year after the storm, the roof has been repaired, and the Reverend Mr. Partridge is preparing his sermon for a Service of Thanksgiving.
A severe storm hits Fairacre in the night of October 1st, and an ancient elm tree is uprooted, crashing onto the roof of St. Patrick’s Church. When the estimate comes in at around £2000, all of Fairacre is dismayed. Where on earth will they get the money to repair it?
The church council discusses the usual fund raising methods: jumble sales, whist drives, teas, folk dancing displays, etc. Then Mr. Willet suggests having all of these during a Fairacre Festival week, and everyone likes the idea. Mr. Mawne, however, suggests looking into the possibility of selling the church’s solid silver chalice that was made during the reign of Queen Anne - very ornate and heavy and valuable - that is used for high Holy days. This is not a popular idea, to say the least; the vicar is outraged at the mere idea. So, that suggestion is shelved for the time being.
The village works very hard to prepare for the Festival; everyone invites friends and relatives, no matter how distant. Major Gunning, having suggested a Son et Lumière showing the history of the village and its church, has a cousin who is an opera singer, and he arranges for her to perform. Even a young pop star is contacted to sing at the Gala Dance (He has a car wreck before the Dance, breaking two ribs and sustaining a concussion.
Nonetheless, events go off as well as could be expected, except that a passing thunderstorm causes a temporary power outage during the first Son et Lumière performance. The Festival has been widely advertised and turnout is tremendous. The postmaster has a brother, George Lamb, who, twenty years earlier, had emigrated to America; he happens to be coming to England on a business trip, and he and several colleagues attend.
Well, after the Festival is over and the money counted, they still come up several hundred pounds short. The vicar is pressured to consider the unthinkable, selling the chalice. Then he receives a letter from George Lamb; he and several of his business associates and a couple of English ladies now living in America have pooled their contributions in a cheque for $2000! The vicar is speechless; his wife is unbelieving: ‘Not even Americans are as rich as that!’ 😂
So happy endings all around! Exactly a year after the storm, the roof has been repaired, and the Reverend Mr. Partridge is preparing his sermon for a Service of Thanksgiving.
He thought with gratitude of all the blessings which had followed – the united efforts of all in the village, the bravery, the generosity of everybody, particularly of those American friends who had forged an unforgettable link with a small unknown village, as a result of last year‘s storm. What friends Fairacre had made! What fun it had been!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 23, 2021
This slim novella from 1968 slips the reader smoothly into the world of Fairacre and Beech Green created by the wonderful 'Miss Read'.
The cover illustration on the copy I read depicts a storm in a china teacup which sums up the narrative nicely. A huge October storm wrecks damage throughout Fairacre damaging buildings but devastating the roof of St Patrick's causing consternation not only to the Vicar, but the entire village. The colossal cost of repairs (£2,000 at the time of writing. I'm sure many churches wish the repairs for their own places of worship requires would be a mere £2,000!) seems completely out of reach. Mr Willet, the reliable caretaker and general handyman suggests a week long festival over and above the usual jumble sales, whist drives, fayres etc. An ambitious 'son et lumière' and the voluntary services of a famous singer as well as performances by the school children and a visit from Mr Lamb's brother from America combine to push towards the goal, but will it be enough?
The usual characters appear throughout: Mrs Pringle, Rev & Mrs Partridge, Joseph Coggs, Amy, Mr Lamb, the Mawnes etc, all providing colour, shade and humour narrated, as ever, by the doughty headmistress, Miss Read herself.
A brief but welcome escape from the strains and stresses of modern life to bring balm to any city-pressed souls.
The cover illustration on the copy I read depicts a storm in a china teacup which sums up the narrative nicely. A huge October storm wrecks damage throughout Fairacre damaging buildings but devastating the roof of St Patrick's causing consternation not only to the Vicar, but the entire village. The colossal cost of repairs (£2,000 at the time of writing. I'm sure many churches wish the repairs for their own places of worship requires would be a mere £2,000!) seems completely out of reach. Mr Willet, the reliable caretaker and general handyman suggests a week long festival over and above the usual jumble sales, whist drives, fayres etc. An ambitious 'son et lumière' and the voluntary services of a famous singer as well as performances by the school children and a visit from Mr Lamb's brother from America combine to push towards the goal, but will it be enough?
The usual characters appear throughout: Mrs Pringle, Rev & Mrs Partridge, Joseph Coggs, Amy, Mr Lamb, the Mawnes etc, all providing colour, shade and humour narrated, as ever, by the doughty headmistress, Miss Read herself.
A brief but welcome escape from the strains and stresses of modern life to bring balm to any city-pressed souls.
September 13, 2017
This is the seventh in the Fairacre books, which I've been kind of hoarding so I won't get to the end of them. In this book a dramatic wind storm hits Fairacre village and blows over the top of the church that has been standing there for hundreds of years and which has long been the center of village life. The estimate for repairs is well beyond what is available or can be raised by a thrift sale or concert, so plans are made to hold a week long festival in the summer. They plan entertainments and sales of all kinds and the entire village will take part, as long as the weather and other circumstances go their way.
I love everything about these books: the village, the people, the way they all annoy one another but have each other's backs when it counts. And it's in rural England - how can you not love that? This is comfort reading at it's very best.
I love everything about these books: the village, the people, the way they all annoy one another but have each other's backs when it counts. And it's in rural England - how can you not love that? This is comfort reading at it's very best.
May 10, 2023
I’m still loving this sweet and simple series. This book was more of a novella or short story. Storm damage requires that the village of Fairacre rise up together and raise the funds needed for the repair of the church.
If you want a solidly written, tender series about a village in the UK, this is definitely for you. It’s not fluffy chick lit, it’s better than that.
So many novels are too heavy for me right now. Murder, abuse, severely dysfunctional families. Reading is the only time I ever escape the reality of living with cancer. The last thing I want to read is a book about dead mothers or people hurting each other. So, I’m interspersing this series with other, heavier reads.
Still avoiding dead mother books like the plague. So, if you know of any I should keep away from, let me know.
If you want a solidly written, tender series about a village in the UK, this is definitely for you. It’s not fluffy chick lit, it’s better than that.
So many novels are too heavy for me right now. Murder, abuse, severely dysfunctional families. Reading is the only time I ever escape the reality of living with cancer. The last thing I want to read is a book about dead mothers or people hurting each other. So, I’m interspersing this series with other, heavier reads.
Still avoiding dead mother books like the plague. So, if you know of any I should keep away from, let me know.
August 28, 2017
A disaster has struck Fairacre. There's a major storm and the wind causes damage all over but especially to the church. A huge elm has fallen over and damaged the roof. Getting the tree moved isn't the major problem; it's raising the money to do repairs.
The local church council won't help (how generous of them) so it's up to the village to try to raise the money. They try a wide variety of things and even have a festival. Their main singer is unable to perform, though, and it looks like they might have to sell a historical chalice that they have. The vicar doesn't want to part with it, of course, but the money has to come from somewhere.
The question is whether or not the old saying 'The Lord will provide' will come true. Another good story in the series.
The local church council won't help (how generous of them) so it's up to the village to try to raise the money. They try a wide variety of things and even have a festival. Their main singer is unable to perform, though, and it looks like they might have to sell a historical chalice that they have. The vicar doesn't want to part with it, of course, but the money has to come from somewhere.
The question is whether or not the old saying 'The Lord will provide' will come true. Another good story in the series.
August 9, 2020
It is no wonder 'Miss Read' (Dora Saint) received an MBE for her storytelling skills. Fairacre has become as dear to me as The Shire. Although this book is very short (I was lucky to find it had been added as a bonus at the end of Over the Gate) it is no less full of warmth and wit that you'll be rooting for the fundraising as if it were a very real pressing need and sitting in quiet reverence, along with Miss Read, during the opening service. It all sounds like it could be fluffy and trite and a little too idyllic, but it doesn't end up being fluffy and silly and that's quite a skill and shows why Miss Read's MBE is so well deserved.
November 27, 2024
There was recently a significant storm in England, which brought flooding and quite a bit of damage. Miss Read writes about another storm in 1950s England, which also did quite a bit of damage. The church roof, steeple, and steeple cock was done in by a tall elm tree. Estimates bring the repair total to 2000 pounds sterling. Fairacre is a teeny, tiny village. People there live a meager existence. An action committee decided to go forward with a week-long festival and hoped to bring residents from outside the town. Or will they be forced to sell their beautiful 250-year-old communion chalice? Extra, extra: read all about the ins, outs, successes, failures, and obstacles overcome!
April 5, 2020
I LOVE the Fairacre books. Especially now when I want to read something light and fun. You almost feel like you know the people in the stories and I like to follow what they are doing. They are easy fun reading that goes by quickly and I will be sad when I have finished all of them but that will take a while because I read other things in between. If you enjoy light reading occasionally, like Debbie Macomber or some other "chick lit" type of writers you will probably love the Fairacre books. You can read then as a series or individually.
May 19, 2022
I have read many books by Miss Read and plan to read more. This slim book tells of the village church damaged by a falling tree. The Villagers band together to raise money for the repairs. Just the sort of gentle story that also sounds very true to life, the little intrigues that make of regular life. I like her books because they are gentle and calming, a change from much of the fiction and nonfiction I usually read.
November 29, 2021
Churches and restoration fund raisers are, I suspect, for one reason or another inevitable bedfellows. What is hearteningly told in this Fairacre instalment is the wonderful way that the villagers come together as a community to organise a festival to bolster the coffers to repair their storm damaged roof.
March 15, 2024
One of the most boring but also delightful books I've ever read. Nothing much actually happens ... a village comes together and puts on a festival in order to raise money to repair the roof of their beloved church, which was damaged in a big storm ... but the writing is charming and the characters delightful.
January 24, 2018
A quick bedtime read. Natural disaster strikes Fairacre and the entire village unites in the face of adversity. How they go about getting things to normal is what this book is all about. A little short of 4 stars!
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