Ystalyfera History

History and Heritage

Ystalyfera and District

Ystalyfera - South Wales

Vicars of Ystalyfera

Memorial Garden of Holy Trinity Church

Holy Trinity Church, Ystalyfera, was demolished in 1988-89. In October 2004 a Memorial Garden covering the same ground area as the old church was opened to the public in a ceremony presided over by the Bishop of Swansea and Brecon. The garden is in the shape of a cross and has a sculpture feature in the middle. The edges are box hedge, and urns and flowers to the memory of loved ones are placed there. An article appeared in the South Wales Evening Post a couple of days after the service, focused on the community nature of the project.

The Service, described as a Celebration Event, took place in the Memorial Garden itself, on 13th October 2004, from 1:45 to 3:00pm

Order of Service
Prompt Start at 2.00

Welcome and Introductions
Reverend Geoffrey Turner

First Speaker (bilingual)
Alun Llewelyn - County Borough
Councillor Neath Port Talbot

Second Speaker
Anne Gibbs - Freelance Artist

Prayer
Reverend Geoffrey Turner

Hymn
'Colours of day dawn into the mind'

Reading (Welsh)
Alun Llewelyn - County Borough
Councillor Neath Port Talbot

Cor Y Gyrlais
'Soldiers fair well'

Dedication
Right Reverend Anthony Pierce - Bishop
of Swansea and Brecon

Hymn
'Molwch, molwch'

Cor Y Gyrlais
'Calon Lan'

Blessing
Right Reverend Anthony Pierce - Bishop
of Swansea and Brecon

Close of Service at 3.00pm

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In the centre of the garden is a sculpted feature surrounding an rowan (mountain ash) tree. The garden was designed in collaboration between children of Godre'rgraig Primary School and Ysgol y Wern and environmental artist Anne Gibbs.

Soldiers from the Royal Regiment of Wales helped to clear the undergrowth from the rest of the graveyard, as part of community projects that they undertake each year.

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Included within the sculpture is this image of Mr and Mrs James Palmer Budd, as drawn by local school children from Godre'rgraig Primary School. The sculpture was cast by Abercrave blacksmith Jason Gardener.

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The memorial garden includes an area for the placing of urns and flowers in remembrance of loved ones.

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The South Wales Evening Post of 15th October 2004 included an article by journalist Rachael Misstear describing the opening ceremony, and interviews with some of those involved in getting the project completed. The article is reproduced to the right, and below, coyright the South Wales Evening Post.

Special day as memorial garden opens
by Rachael Misstear

A group of Swansea Valley children has created a memorial garden to honour the memory of their loved ones.

Youngsters from Ysgol y Wern and Godre'rgraig Primary School worked with environmental artist Anne Gibbs to revamp the site of Holy Trinity Church in Ystalyfera, which was demolished in 1997.

They were joined in their efforts by Army cadets and community group Ground Work Wales.

Their painstaking efforts were rewarded when the project was launched by the Bishop of Brecon and Swansea, the Rt Rev Anthony Pierce.

Ground Work's Communities First co-ordinator Christine Moore said "This is an excellent example of partnership working in the local community.
We decided that when the garden was completed we would give it an official launch and now the garden has been completed and officially opened. So many people have made a great effort, we wanted the launch to be a big celebration of how the community has been brought together."

Ystalyfera vicar Rev Geoffrey Turner said "The memorial garden has been completed thanks to the efforts of the community. We were approached by the local Communities First partnership and the parochial church council.
They wanted to create a memorial garden on this site and asked if we could help.
Our first priority was to involve local people and so we contacted the two schools which approached the project with enthusiasm. To see the fruits of that effort is wonderful."

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