An Open Day was held at St. David’s Church cemetery as part of the Cadw event on September 23rd 2023.
There were guided tours of some of the graves by Mary Thorley speaking about some aspects of Carmarthen’s social history which are reflected in the history of the graveyard. Also by Richard Goodridge who selected examples of those graves with a Military and Maritme theme, including:
Captain George Jones Quay Warden
Fred Cadwallader Master Mariner
Prytherch Family Vault
George Nott
Sgt Major John Morgan Family Memorial
Sgt Major John Kyle
Sgt John Samuel
Further details on their stories can be found in the section ‘ What’s in a Name’
Professor Tony Curtis read some of his poetry which is dedicated to the memory of those interred in the graveyard, including his poem Climbing the Overhang at Eglwys Dewi Sant
Climbing the Overhang at Eglwys Dewi Sant
Rusted nails, the slip of loosened slates,
Another and another – the place is open to the weather,
Rain from the west, snow from the east
Complete the wrecking work and then it’s too late.
The Church throws good money after bad
To fill the holes – a small fortune
Goes up into the clouds that come over the Irish Sea.
So the place is sold. The pews are plastered by pigeons,
The pulpit is soiled and silent, the font dry.
The wooden list of the Great War’s dead
And the marble plaques to the crach-ach – Pictons, Williamses,
Davieses – all renege on their promised immortality.
In the churchyard, to the rear and towards the town,
Seven war graves decline, their greying Portland
Head-stones sinking into a maze of barbed brambles:
We shall strain to remember them.
Your grandmother and grandfather’s marble chips
And small urn persist against the weeds and ivy
Under the ancient yew. You call and tidy up
Each time that you pass through.
Though now you have to negotiate the parked cars,
Families using the climbing and bouldering centre
That rears from the nave and vestry: repurposed.
The angled grips and coloured foot-holds pattern the walls
Like stained glass, some galaxy exploding from its last millenium.
The Overhang. It’s a tough climb:
Roped and helmeted, harnessed and gloved,
They spider their way to heaven.
Tony Curtis