TRIBUTES have poured in for much-loved Shipston resident Peter Drinkwater who died last week.

The 65-year-old, who has been described by many as an “icon” of Shipston, collapsed last Thursday while gardening.

He was airlifted to University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire but died the following morning.

Known for taking daily walks around Shipston with his pet rabbits, he was a devout Roman Catholic and had been the organist at Saturday mass at St Philip’s Church, Ilmington, for the last 20 years and more recently, in Brailes and Shipston.

Father Brian Doolan said the whole parish was devastated at his sudden passing.

“We are all trying to come to terms with it; it happened so unexpectedly,”

he said. “He was an amazing man and an extraordinary character; a real one-off. He was a man of incredible faith. His Catholic faith meant everything to him. He was extraordinary, the range of knowledge he had. He was marvellous with children.

All the kids in the parish adored him. He is going to be deeply missed.”

As well as being an accomplished organist, the former Shipston High School pupil also composed his own music and was a selftaught calligrapher, illustrator and typographer.

He wrote a number of history books including The Art of Sundial Construction.

Baggy Saunders, who owns the Horseshoe Inn and the Black Horse Inn, both in Shipston, said: “He was an iconic character. A man of extremely high intelligence and integrity.

“A brilliant historian especially in relation to the south Warwickshire area.

He was somewhat eccentric as he kept a number of pet rabbits which he used to walk around the environs of Shipston on a daily basis. It’s very sad. He was a most interesting chap.”

Paul Turner, of greengrocer Turner’s of Shipston, said he was always one of his first customers of the day. “He was a nice chap, very eccentric,” he said.

“He will be missed.”

District councillor Jeff Kenner added: “He is one of those people that really was a Shipston character.”

No funeral arrangements had been made as the Journal went to press.