St Mary's Church, Dymock

In the years leading up to the First World War, literally history was being made around the village of Dymock between May Hill in Gloucestershire and the Malvern Hills in Worcestershire. Six poets, now well-known as the "Dymock Poets", were walking, talking and writing in the area. They were (click on each for details):

Lascelles Abercrombie, Rupert Brooke, John Drinkwater, Robert Frost, Wilfrid Gibson and Edward Thomas. (Return to top)

St Mary's Church has an exhibition about them. The panels on the right give details about each poet, plus there's a map of the area, extracts from their works and various items for purchase.

Perhaps the most famous extract is from Rupert Brooke's "The Soldier" which begins: "If I should die, think only this of me: that there's some corner of a foreign field that is forever England" (Brook was killed in the 1st World War and is buried on the Greek island of Skyros). (Return to top)

In addition, the panels on the left give limited information about some of their acquaintances which includes: (Return to top)

Eleanor Farjeon, Arthur Ransom, Ivor Gurney, Bertrand Russell, F.W. (Will) Harvey, John Wilton Haines, Sir Edward March and Lytton Strachey, R.C Trevelyan. Also of nearby Ledbury's most famous son, the Poet Laureate John Masefield. (John Masefield was baptised in another of our group's churches - Preston click here for link)
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The exhibition includes a second wall panel on the left, which carries regularly changing displays - perhaps about one of the poets, or a project prepared by local schoolchildren about the poets, etc. (Return to top)

A separate organisation, The Friends of the Dymock Poets (FDP), was founded in 1993 to:

• Foster an interest in the work of the Dymock Poets,
• help preserve places and things associated with the Dymock Poets,
• keep members informed of literary and other matters relating to the Dymock Poets,
• help protect the border countryside of Herefordshire and Gloucestershire,
• increase knowledge and appreciation of the landscape between May Hill and the Malvern Hill.

© Copyright Gary Bills-Geddes & Dymock PCC (Return to top)