Two people who are leading authorities on Breconshire’s famous 17th century poet and physician Henry Vaughan have presented a copy of his complete writings to Brecon’s new y Gaer library.
Professor Donald Dickson of Texas A&M University, USA and Dr Bob Wilcher of the University of Birmingham – the co-editors of the newly published Works of Henry Vaughan – handed the three volumes to Cllr Rosemarie Harris last Saturday (April 27).
The new publication by the Oxford University Press brings together Vaughan’s complete known works – covering his poetry, prose, letters and medical notes – for the first time.
Speaking for The Vaughan Association, Prof Dickson said: “It is a pleasure to present these books to Breconshire’s exciting new public library. They are for the community with whom Vaughan lived in your wonderful Brecon Beacons countryside, which was also his inspiration.”
The presentation took place at a reception to celebrate the new publication and also the word art compositions for y Gaer by Brecon-based poet Chris Meredith.
The Brecknock Society and Museum Friends arranged the reception for The Vaughan Association’s annual Brecon colloquium that was attended by scholars and followers of Henry Vaughan from the United States, Japan, Canada, Denmark and across the UK over the weekend.
Welcoming the 50 local guests and colloquium visitors on behalf of the Brecknock Society, Dr Mervyn Bramley said: ‘Our collective community, historical, artistic and literary interest in Henry Vaughan is a good example of the way that y Gaer as museum, art gallery and library will create a vibrant place for visitors and our own community’.
Cllr Harris thanked The Vaughan Association for the books and speaking about y Gaer as leader of Powys County Council said: ‘Restoring the old Shire Hall and building the new library, atrium and the education and community rooms for y Gaer has been a major project for Powys County Council and its partners.
“These include the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Armed Forces Covenant, the Brecknock Society and the Brecknock Art Trust and I’m grateful to them all. We will very shortly be taking over y Gaer from the contractor Kier and I am sure that when it opens to the public in the summer our local community and visitors will be pleased with what they find. Volunteers from our community will be working alongside council staff to operate y Gaer and we look forward to welcoming you there on your annual collquium next year.”
Brecon’s own Chris Meredith gave an inspiring explanation of the two compositions of word art that he has created for y Gaer.
Many people travelling down Glamorgan Street will have seen his words ‘Come Wake A World’ above the restored stone wall at the new entrance to y Gaer.
The full English text which reads ‘In each book, all art, worlds lie asleep: come wake a world’ and its Welsh equivalent runs from Captain’s Walk through the building and out again to Glamorgan Street. Chris explained: “I’ve gone for something memorable in the form of an invitation. It was a real challenge to choose the text so that the two parts outside the building also stand on their own.
“In the coming weeks, Chris’s second composition, a 24ft high commemorative panel of poetry will be fixed to the white wall on y Gaer in Glamorgan Street. Production of the word art has been supported by the Brecknock Art Trust.