CMP Review 2026-01-27

January 27, 2026

The ancient rush-bearing festival continues to this day in a handful of towns in northern England. One such town is Ambleside, where the pageant ends at St. Mary’s Church with a short service. The festival is illustrated by this unique 1943 mural which covers the back wall of the church.

A highlight for me when I visit Ambleside is to enjoy and contemplate this wonderful work of art. I like to imagine the children and adults joyously processing with their flowers and plants. Reverend Francis Lewis spoke about the festival in his sermons. Decades before the mural was painted, he was emphasizing its significance.

In his 1923 sermon “By My Spirit,” he said that “it is your children’s festival,” and its purpose is “to imprint deeply upon their young minds the importance of the things of the spirit.” For “faith,” he says, “is the response of the soul to the leading, and calling of God. It springs from within, not from without.” His sermon still serves as a reminder to parents to rely on the Spirit as they undertake the education of their children. Find it here.

@artmiddlekauff

📷: Photo North (www.photonorth.co.uk)