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Friday 2 March 2012

Havard Chapel Brecon


The watercolour sketch above is of the Havard Chapel in Brecon Cathedral.The Cathedral was formerly the Priory church of St John and dates back to the 1100's. It was apparently a cell of Battle Abbey in Sussex. Havard Chapel is in the North transept of the Cathedral and is the Regimental Chapel of the South Wales Borderers who won 11 Victoria Crosses at the Battle of Rorkes Drift during the Zulu Wars.The window itself dates from the 1920's and shows the entombment of Christ.
 I have had the honour to lead the church parade with the Garrison through the Town to and from the Cathedral. This is how it happened. At the time I was temporary Chief Inspector in Brecon. The Officer in Charge had for several days been worrying about the extremely difficult and challenging (note the irony) duty of leading and marching through the town with the military parade. Come the day he was seen walking round and round his office drinking copious amounts of coffee. With half an hour to go I was informed he had decided he was too ill to do it and had gone home! I quickly found a respectable jacket and was delighted to step in. I would have happily done it for him in any case had he asked.
Anyway the Chapel is worthy of a visit and I have sketched it on a couple of occasions. I am not a religious person but do enjoy visiting and taking in the atmosphere of Churches and Cathedrals.

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