A congregation gathered at a rural Usk Valley church on Sunday, April 27 for its annual memorial service to celebrate the life of Breconshire’s famous 17th century poet Henry Vaughan.

The Brecknock Society and Llansantffraed Church, near Talybont-on-Usk, held an evensong service in the church followed by wreath laying at the poet’s grave in the churchyard. They were joined by enthusiastic members of the Vaughan Association from the UL and overseas who had been attending its annual colloquium in the Brecon’s Castle Hotel, by interested local followers, and by the choir from St Mary’s Priory Church, Abergavenny.

The choir delighted the congregation with a lyrical new anthem composed by their Director of Music, Tim Pratt - this year based on Vaughan’s poem ‘The Knot’. The congregation also enjoyed the address by the invited speaker - Dr Erik Ankerberg - about Vaughan’s poem ‘The Dawning’. He showed great empathy with Wales, quoting knowledgeably about the local landscape and the writings of Rowan Williams.

After the service, minister Revd Liz Bramley led the laying of wreaths at the poet’s grave. Nigel Clubb, President of the Brecknock Society laid its wreath, poet Hilary Davies laid the Vaughan Association’s wreath, and Deb Fisher, author on Siegfried Sassoon’s visit to Llansantffraed, laid flowers from the Sassoon Fellowship.

The collection at the service raised funds for the ongoing maintenance of Llansantffraed Church. Dr Mervyn Bramley, for the Brecknock Society, thanked all involved in continuing the event, especially churchwarden Will Hutton, the Llansantffraed congregation, and the Choir of St Mary’s Priory Church.

Llansantffraed Church is part of the Brecon & Epynt Ministry Area and church services are held on the third Sunday of each month. In addition, Sunday afternoon concerts at Llansantffraed are planned for July 27 and December 7 and will be widely advertised. See www.breconandepyntma.org.uk for further details.