Chiddingly
Chiddingly seems like a very peaceful village but it has a lively social life. Once a year Chiddingly Horticultural Society holds a local flower show with various competitions for all the ages which is always highly popular. Chiddingly also holds an annual festival which attracts a lot of attention. The festival is all about the arts and everyone involved in the annual event is a volunteer. The festival is full of music, dance, sculpting, comedy, graphic arts, theatre, storytelling and poetry from a mix of local talents and big names that are drawn to the small village during this incredible celebration. It is Chiddingly’s most unique feature.
Chiddingly is chock full of beautiful buildings, including the well-known Chiddingly Place which was rebuilt in 1574 by Sir John Jeffrey who was Chief Baron of the Exchequer at the time. The parish church dates back to at least the 13th Century, if not earlier, although the exact date is not known. Despite its small size, Chiddingly has its own museum and archive called the Farley Farm House gallery which focuses on the work of Roland Penrose and Lee Miller.
Chiddingly has also featured in a documentary called The Moon and the Sledgehammer directed by Philip Trevelyan. The documentary tells the history of the Page family that resided in the woods outside the village and managed two traction engines. This lovely village has a lot to offer.
