Mells Daffodil Festival

History of Mells Daffodil Festival

The Mells Daffodil Festival started in 1979 following this extract in the November 1978 Parish Magazine.

“As part of our money raising efforts, we are organising a Daffodil Weekend in MELLS next spring, on a date to be announced. We shall be distributing daffodil bulbs for planting, to give the maximum display from Rectory corner to Woodlands End. It is hoped to organise many events in connection with this weekend, details of which will be announced in the New Year.”

Whilst the daffodils are not always on display the event regularly attracts visitors from far and wide in their thousands.

History of Mells Village

The village is steeped in history and has long been associated with nursery rhyme Little Jack Horner and according to legend, Jack Horner, steward of the last Abbot of Glastonbury, received the deeds of Mells Manor, from Richard Whiting, the last Abbot of Glastonbury, at the dissolution of the monasteries in 1539.

Mells Manor is owned by the 3^rd Earl of Oxford and Asquith. The Talbot dog, although now extinct, remains the Crest of the Horner family and can be ‘spotted’ around the village

Inside the church are several plaques commemorating members of the Horner family in life and death. The equestrian statue to the memory of Edward Horner who was born in May 1883 and who died of wounds in France in November 1917 whilst serving as a lieutenant with the 18th (Queen Mary’s Own) Hussars, has recently been moved into the body of the church.  It is now positioned next to the war memorial plaques

The striking bronze equestrian statue is the work of Sir Alfred Munnings (1878-1959) and represents the first venture into sculpture of this distinguished painter of horses. The plinth of the statue (a miniature version of the Cenotaph) was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens (1869-1944).

In the churchyard are the graves of:

Sir John Horner, 28th December 1842 -31st March 1927

Lady Frances Horner, 28th March 1854 -1st March 1940

Mark George Horner (son), 13th July 1891 – 3rd March 1908

Katharine Frances Asquith (nee Homer), 9th September 1885 – 9th July 1976

Adjoining these graves in the family plot are the graves of:
Maurice Bonham-Carter KCB, KCVO, October 1880 – 7th June 1960 and his wife, Helen Violet, Baroness Asquith of Yambury DBE (Raymond Asquith’s sister), 15th April 1887 – 19th February 1969.

The stones of Sir John and Lady Frances Horner were designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and the stone of Mark Horner was the work of Eric Gill.

Siegfried Loraine Sassoon (1886-1967) who died at Heytesbury in Wiltshire and who wished to be buried near his friend Monsigneur Ronald Knox, a Roman Catholic priest and scholar who lived for some years at The Manor House.

These graves are located on the east side of the churchyard facing the boundary wall. An avenue of clipped yews designed by Lutyens, and which is behind the church, leads to the fields beyond.

Fund Allocation

In 2011 we raised in excess of £10,000 from the Daffodil Festival weekend, which was a fantastic success.

The money was allocated to following ventures:

Mells Cricket Club
St Andrews Church / Mells PCC

Everyone on the committee donates all of their time free of charge and for the good of the many organisations who benefit from the funds we raise on the day and the growth of the village.  If you are interested in joining the committee please contact chairman@mellsdaffodilfestival.co.uk

We thank everyone for their support.