'TV' priest set to retire

A LOCAL parish priest who has appeared several times on television to talk about his time at Berwick Church is retiring.

Father Peter Smith, 66, the Rector of Berwick and Vicar of Selmeston with Alciston, recently featured on a programme with TV wine buff Jilly Goolden about the famous Downland church, decorated by the Bloomsbury painters.

Mr Smith is retiring to Dorset with his wife Mary after 12 years in the parish.

He said: 'We are very sad to be leaving so many friends in this beautiful part of Sussex.

'We look forward to getting to know Dorset and to making new friends and to helping out at some of the local village churches.

'We have met so many local families and I am glad to have had the opportunity to serve in these beautiful parishes. It has been a great privilege.

'It was also great fun to appear several times on television because of the interest in Berwick and its Bloomsbury paintings.'

Father Peter, who came to Berwick in 1990, is taking his last service at Berwick on Sunday.