June 6th 2026 4.30 in church for chat and refreshments

Visit by Bishop David Wilbourne of York. Back in 1965 a young lad, David Wilbourne, moved into Aughton as his father had been appointed as Vicar of Aughton Church and East Cottingwith church. David was intrigued by the history of Robert Aske and spent five happy years getting to know every detail about Aughton church, which he absolutely loved. Fast forward 30 years and he wrote two books using his imagination to make Aughton Church the setting for both of them – A Vicar’s Diary and A Summer’s diary (Both published by Harper Collins) Fast forward another 30 years and he is now Bishop Wilbourne of York and he is coming back to Aughton to see the church and to help us to raise funds for our restoration project together with that of East Cottingwith. The books: "A Vicar's Diary (1999) by David Wilbourne is a humorous and heartwarming novel detailing a young vicar's first taste of 1960s village life in the Vale of York. Similar in tone to James Herriot, the book follows the new clergyman navigating colorful parishioners, including a woman with a miracle way with rubber plants." A Summer's Diary by David Wilbourne: "In this sequel, readers will find a rich tapestry of characters and settings that reflect the complexities of life in a pastoral community. The narrative unfolds through the vicar’s perspective, capturing the essence of the time and place.