AN 11-year project to bring modern facilities to a church which dates back some 600 years was celebrated with a special concert and a flower festival.

St Mary and St Peter, which overlooks the Severn near the A48, now has facilities including toilets and a kitchen.

This first phase of the refurbishment of the church was completed using grants, legacies and the fund-raising efforts of parishioners and The Friends of St Mary and St Peter.

The celebrations began with a concert by four young singers who are graduates of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

Soprano Maisie O’Shea, alto Molly Beere, tenor Laurie Standish Hayes and bass Lucas Maunder were accompanied by pianist Elizabeth Bonsell in a varied programme of music.

The following weekend the church was open for a flower and arts festival.

As well as arrangements designed by a number of local groups, there were paintings and drawings by an art group from Chepstow and photos from the U3A photographic group.

The theme for the flower festival was All Things Bright and Beautiful and several of the arrangements were inspired by lines from the famous hymn.

The arrangements were created by Tidenham WI, Leonie Jones, Sedbury Space, Tutshill School, Nicholette Flatman, Martin Singers, The Bellringer, U3A, Forest of Dean Community Walks, Friends of St Michael’s Church, Chase WI and a group of three friends.

As part of the work, a panel from a stained glass window that had been stored in the tower for a century is now on dislay

The panel, which features St Mary and St Peter, was part of a window installed in the 1850s.

It was replaced in 1925 by the current east window and is now a focal point of the church’s new vestry.