Community, tradition, the secular and the spiritual came together on Saturday morning in Lewes in a joyful celebration of the hop harvest, and the excellent beers that our local brewery, Harvey’s, produces. For over 200 years, Harvey’s has been providing the people of Lewes with a range of their seasonal brews and classic keg or cask ales and beers, gaining a regard that is close to reverence. Where else is a brewery called a cathedral?
Hops and hardy
The brewery, nevertheless, is in the parish of St Thomas a Becket in Cliffe and it was to this more modest place of worship that we were called on Saturday. We weaved our way under a gentle autumn sun, past bonfire societies selling their programmes, tourists looking for antiques and the busy coffee shops and cafes. The sense of wellbeing was palpable and it seemed a divine respite from the troubles and suffering of the real world which would push in all too soon.
The ancient parish church was packed to the side aisles well before the official start of the service at 11am and it is clear that the Harvey’s Harvest Festival, a relatively new tradition of 25 years standing, is an event of importance in the town. We squashed happily into pews to the music of Sussex Harmony, a group of musicians and singers who not only specialise in little known church music but also obligingly perform in Thomas Hardyesque attire, thus emphasising the gentle rural nature of the celebrations (more ‘Under the Greenwood Tree’ than ‘Tess’!).
The church was everybody’s dream of what a harvest celebration should look like. There were hops in garlands around the ancient pillars, the altar and pulpit and autumn flower arrangements on the window ledges.
Hymns and Harvey’s
The service started and gentle, patrician Father Herbert took control with a prayer of thanksgiving and whether we believed or not, we said amen (maybe thinking of the brews to come) and sang a lusty rendition of ‘All things bright and beautiful’. Sussex Harmony presented some musical pieces and then it was time for ‘We plough the fields and scatter’ – sung with gusto by a packed church. Enough to make most contemporary clergy green with envy in these days of religious decline.
The sermon too was much appreciated as Father Herbert preached on the gallons of water Jesus was reputed to have turned into wine at Cana. Ok, it wasn’t beer but in another context it would have been Harvey’s Best. Father Herbert also pointed out that St Thomas a Becket was the unofficial patron saint of brewers and that it was a happy accident Harvey’s should be in the parish. We were left in no doubt that a pint of Harvey’s was without equal as he read out a list of current awards.
Then more hymns, prayers and music before The Master Brewer gave us his address, mentioning that anyone clutching an order of service would jump the queue at the Brewery for a free pint of the Old Ale, their winter seasonal.
Note to self – the Church of England would experience renewal and vastly increase its congregations by offering generous libations of the amber nectar.
Free ale for all
Blessed, we all trooped out to be twice blessed, following the Master Brewer round to the Brewery Yard for our free pint or two. We were joined in a joyful throng by all the many who had not gone to the service but knew that free beer was on offer.
And so we came into the yard and this time found another sort of worship – Morris sides were welcoming the ale and celebrating Mother Earth. Dancing with much clashing of sticks and tinkling of bells, thought to ward away evil spirits and to promote the harvest and cycle of the seasons but on this particular occasion to dance in the Old ale. The origin of the Morris men is much disputed but their mostly all male dances are said to encourage fertility and good luck.
Whether or not this was true, it sounded good enough on Saturday morning as the music blended with the noise of the happy crowds as they took over the yard, some queuing hopefully for a second or third pint. Clearly the community approved and long may our local brewery survive and thrive.
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