What’s On – upcoming services and events

Sunday Service at St Thomas à Becket

All special events and tours throughout the year are listed here (and always more to come!)
NOT listed here is our weekly 9.45am Sunday Service.
Festivals in the Church of England Year are on our Worship page.
To ask about adding an event here, email our website editor.

St Thomas' Church cream tea

Hi Children - come and build an Easter Garden!

Saturday 19th April, 4pm

Bring your mum and dad – come and help make a model Easter Garden – INDOORS in the Church – at this Holy Saturday children’s Easter Garden service. Sing childrens’ hymns, enjoy short Bible readings, and there are EASTER EGGS and hot-cross buns! No need to book, just come along.

Rosemary arranging the Easter flowers

Easter Sunday service

Sunday 20th April, 9.45am

We celebrate the Rising of Christ, the most important date in the Christian calendar, at this Sunday sung Eucharist service with hymns and Holy Communion.

St Thomas' Church cream tea

Afternoon cream tea

Sunday 11th May, 3pm

All welcome for friendly chats and scones and cream and jam and tea.  At Cliffe Hall next door to the church. Please book in advance, price £5. Tickets available in church after Sunday morning service from Ruth, Rosemary or Sally. And donations for the raffle will be very welcome.

Church tower guided tours

Climb the tower, see our ancient clock and bells

Saturday 17th May, 11.30am – guided tour

Tour includes introduction to church interior; climb the spiral stair to the second-oldest (1670) turret clock in Sussex; up to the belfry – lovely and very special oak bellframe dates from around 1400. Not many belfries survive like this, and hardly any that are easily reached by stairs. Hear the big tenor bell strike twelve! Not to be missed – only £5.  Full info and all dates to September.

Church tower guided tours

Climb the tower, see our ancient clock and bells

Saturday 31st May, 11.30am – guided tour

Tour includes introduction to church interior; climb the spiral stair to the second-oldest (1670) turret clock in Sussex; up to the belfry – lovely and very special oak bellframe dates from around 1400. Not many belfries survive like this, and hardly any that are easily reached by stairs. Hear the big tenor bell strike twelve! Not to be missed – only £5.  Full info and all dates to September.

Church tower guided tours

Climb the tower, see our ancient clock and bells

Saturday 14th June, 11.30am – guided tour

Tour includes introduction to church interior; climb the spiral stair to the second-oldest (1670) turret clock in Sussex; up to the belfry – lovely and very special oak bellframe dates from around 1400. Not many belfries survive like this, and hardly any that are easily reached by stairs. Hear the big tenor bell strike twelve! Not to be missed – only £5.  Full info and all dates to September.

Church tower guided tours

Climb the tower, see our ancient clock and bells

Saturday 28th June, 11.30am – guided tour

Tour includes introduction to church interior; climb the spiral stair to the second-oldest (1670) turret clock in Sussex; up to the belfry – lovely and very special oak bellframe dates from around 1400. Not many belfries survive like this, and hardly any that are easily reached by stairs. Hear the big tenor bell strike twelve! Not to be missed – only £5.  Full info and all dates to September.

Archbishop Thomas Becket

Our St Thomas' Patronal Festival

Sunday 6th July, 4pm

All are welcome to this special Choral Evensong in church, followed by refreshments and an illustrated history talk in Cliffe Hall for our Patron Saint, Archbishop Thomas Becket.
His shrine was completed 805 years ago, on 7th July 1220, in a new chapel behind the high altar at Canterbury Cathedral, so we are delighted to hold this special service as our Patronal Festival. We are also welcoming members of the Prayer Book Society in East and West Sussex to be with us. No charge for refreshments, retiring collection. 

Church tower guided tours

Climb the tower, see our ancient clock and bells

Saturday 12th July, 11.30am – guided tour

Tour includes introduction to church interior; climb the spiral stair to the second-oldest (1670) turret clock in Sussex; up to the belfry – lovely and very special oak bellframe dates from around 1400. Not many belfries survive like this, and hardly any that are easily reached by stairs. Hear the big tenor bell strike twelve! Not to be missed – only £5.  Full info and all dates to September.

Church tower guided tours

Climb the tower, see our ancient clock and bells

Saturday 26th July, 11.30am – guided tour

Tour includes introduction to church interior; climb the spiral stair to the second-oldest (1670) turret clock in Sussex; up to the belfry – lovely and very special oak bellframe dates from around 1400. Not many belfries survive like this, and hardly any that are easily reached by stairs. Hear the big tenor bell strike twelve! Not to be missed – only £5.  Full info and all dates to September.

Church tower guided tours

Climb the tower, see our ancient clock and bells

Saturday 9th August, 11.30am – guided tour

Tour includes introduction to church interior; climb the spiral stair to the second-oldest (1670) turret clock in Sussex; up to the belfry – lovely and very special oak bellframe dates from around 1400. Not many belfries survive like this, and hardly any that are easily reached by stairs. Hear the big tenor bell strike twelve! Not to be missed – only £5.  Full info and all dates to September.

Summer Fair 2024

Cliffe Summer Fair

Saturday 23rd August, 10am-12.30pm, beside the church

Our annual summer fair, now an amazing 615 years old – we had permission for markets and fairs from King Henry IV in 1409. Come to hear us read the king’s charter and declare the fair open. Lots of tempting stalls – jam (of course), delicious home-made cakes, plants, plants, fruit and veg, great choice of books for grown-ups, jewellery and bric-a-brac. Plenty to try for in raffles and tombola. In the adjacent Cliffe Hall if wet! Donations to  the stalls welcome by 10am please. 

Church tower guided tours

Climb the tower, see our ancient clock and bells

Saturday 6th September, 11.30am – guided tour

Tour includes introduction to church interior; climb the spiral stair to the second-oldest (1670) turret clock in Sussex; up to the belfry – lovely and very special oak bellframe dates from around 1400. Not many belfries survive like this, and hardly any that are easily reached by stairs. Hear the big tenor bell strike twelve! Not to be missed – only £5.  Full info and all dates to September.