A fond farewell from the real-life Vicar of Dibley, Sue Morton, after 14 years serving six churches in the Hambleden Valley

She lives in the village of Turville, made famous by the television sitcom The Vicar of Dibley, just 100m from the main filming location of St Mary the Virgin Church.

While meeting the fictional vicar Geraldine Granger, played by Dawn French, was one of the highlights of her time in the valley, Mrs Morton’s own parish life was less about punchlines and more about people, inanimate objects, like toilets, kitchenettes and tractors and sometimes animals.

Each October, dogs, ducks and goats strain at their leads to receive their annual blessing. More surprising, however, have been the parrots, giant snails and praying mantises that have also appeared, sitting patiently as their turn came.

Rev Morton said: “This unassuming ritual expresses a deeply held conviction that God’s presence is not confined to church walls and that blessing is something to be shared generously with the whole of creation.

“One year, there was a 100-year-old tortoise who came along with some friends. We’ve had guinea pigs and horses and the ginger “village cat” Bazil, always comes to observe.

“I will put my hands on them and make the sign of the cross, just like with a person.”

While studying Spanish at Exeter University, she met her husband, Mark, and they married in 1981. They went on to raise four daughters, Vicky,  identical twins, Claire and Laura, and Alexandra.

The family experienced 24 years of frequent relocation due to Mr Morton’s role in the Royal Air Force but the wilderness and remoteness of those places, particularly in Scotland, led her to appreciate God outside of the church.

She said: “There’s something special in those really remote places that really touch you. We spent a lot of time exploring the beautiful country, including its mountains and islands, which really gave me a sense of peace and calm.”

Five years ago, she created the “Wild Church”, which meets in various outdoor venues on the second Sunday of every month. The services also feature special outdoor remembrance services.

She said: “I noticed that it drew people into quieter and more beautiful places where there’s a sense of seeing God in the midst of it all, which you can really appreciate when we pause during the service.

“There’s something about the outside, the fresh air and the beauty, which makes you realise that God’s great cathedral is all around you.”

By combining nature, theology and history, Mrs Morton has connected families to undiscovered Second World War crash sites, which involved their not-too-distant ancestors.

She said: “At the first service in Fawley, we discovered how a Handley Page Halifax plane had crashed there in 1943, where two people sadly died, despite the brilliant efforts of the pilot after getting everyone out.

“It was fascinating researching that because it was a secret mission and hard to find out what was going on.

“The second year, I discovered how a Spitfire had crashed into the steep hillside in the Stonor Valley. I found he was flying from RAF Benson and I managed to track down his family, who had never met him, using an ancestry site as they were registered on it.

“A couple and a cousin came from Wales and another from Devon. It was so moving to have them there and stand on the ground where these things happened. I even managed to get a local pilot to do a fly past through an avenue of trees.”

Mrs Morton, who was born in Hornchurch in Essex, grew up in a non-churchgoing family. Her faith arrived slowly, starting with Sunday school until she was 11, which sparked an early curiosity which led to her confirmation later in life.

After the baptism of her first daughter, Vicky, she began attending church more regularly, seeking a deeper understanding of her faith.

She said: “I didn’t really understand the service so I thought I would start going to understand it a bit more. It started intermittently when we were living just west of London but when I had the twins, I used to go with all three children.

“We used to leave piles of raisins and crushed breadsticks behind us but everybody was lovely and welcoming and didn’t seem to mind.”

While living in Germany in 1993, she was invited to be confirmed after the birth of her youngest daughter, Alexandra.

She said: “I was able to say the words myself instead of somebody, a parent, saying them for me, which made it more powerful.

“From then, I tried all different kinds of churches, including Baptist, Methodist, and United Reform, finding where I felt most comfortable. Looking back, I found that ladies’ Bible study groups were really important places for me to grow my faith, where I could ask questions and be encouraged to explore.”

When Alexandra turned three years old, Mrs Morton began to experience the physical and mental symptoms of Myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome.

She said: “For many years, I couldn’t even pick up my children, carry washing upstairs or read a newspaper — I was exhausted.”

This became a pivotal point in her spiritual journey, deepening her reliance on God through the reading of Psalms.

She said: “I did feel angry with God because I thought ‘How long is this going to go on’ but the Psalms readings allowed me to ask healthy questions.”

This led to her settling at a church, which led her to ordination. She said: “I started an Alpha course in Uxbridge before committing to the Church of England in Marlow, called All Saints. I had never wanted to be a priest but I felt like it was my calling.”

She embarked on a multi-year process, undergoing numerous interviews and extensive theological training at Ripon College Cuddesdon from 2010 to 2012.

She was ordained at Christchurch Cathedral in Oxford in June 2012 before another year of training, which allowed her to consecrate bread and wine, give a blessing and conduct a full marriage service.

Rev Morton’s final service will take place on Sunday at St Mary the Virgin Church in Hambleden at 10am.

She is moving to Ewelme when she will take a six-month sabbatical for rest and reflection. She added: “I can't wait to see what God is calling me to do in this next phase of life.”