A Fishy Tale

Last Saturday we visited Sheringham – the weather was foul - cold, and wet, and the sea was really rough

In need of a cup of tea and reviving cake, we stopped off at the Parish Church of All Saints, Upper Sheringham, which had a signboard outside advertising their ‘Church Coffee Shop’. This was a good idea – the prices were very low, and the quality of cake was very high! And the welcome was exceedingly warm! We were the only people to call in, and the two folk ‘on duty’ we thrilled to show us round their church [and the splendid new kitchen and toilet facilities!] The ancient pews have some fabulous carved ends- with animals both real and mythical – and the last pew, beside the door has a mermaid – she is also commemorated on the village sign outside the church, and her story is framed inside the building.

In the collage below, the top three pictures show the story, and two views of the woman with the fishy tail…

There was once a little Mermaid, swimming in the sea off the coast of Norfolk, near Sheringham, and she heard the church bells chiming out one Sunday morning calling the people to church.  “Oh”she said, “I would so love to go to church and pray to God and hear the lovely singing.”

And she decided that she would go, so she struggled out of the sea, and dragged herself all the way up the hill to Upper Sheringham - not an easy thing to do for a little mermaid. Anyway, tired and exhausted she gently pushed open the door to the church, where she was immediately spotted by the Beadle, who shouted at her: “Git yew arn owt, we carn’t hev no marmeads in hare, be gone!” and he slammed the door in her face.

Well, the little mermaid was absolutely distraught, she had struggled so hard to get there, and was so upset that the Beadle should tell her she was not wanted. But she was a determined little Mermaid and so she slithered back to the door and quietly slipped inside and perched herself on the end on the back pew nearest the door - where she remains till this very day.

There must be a sermon illustration in this somewhere!!!