The Old Rectory

A Brief History

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The modern building near the front entrance to the Rectory was originally the Coach House. It was also the stable and cow shed. Near it was a large pig sty. The large horse chestnuts to the front have been a part of the landscape for many years and been a landmark for travelers. The Spanish Chestnut on the lawn was a splendid tree. A swing hung from it and Evelyn Laye OBE used to use the swing when she stayed with the Archdeacon in the house. Evelyn was a famous theatre actress of her time (1900 – 1996) and also appeared in several early Hollywood talkies.

There used to be a spring called Mary’s Well in what is now the hotel’s golf course, regarded as a spring of healing water. Women came from distant places to obtain water to bathe the eyes of babies and young children with an infection. The spring has since been redirected.

One of the more prominent Rectors to live at the Old Rectory was Matthew Herbert who was appointed in 1621 by the Earl of Worcester. In addition to his living he conducted a small school at the Rectory for the sons of the gentry in the neighbourhood. From 1632-8 Henry Vaughan, Silurist, Breconshires famous metaphysical poet, and his twin brother Thomas lived at the Old Rectory whilst they were educated before going on to Jesus College, Oxford. According to the tradition of the day Henry dedicated a poem to his former schoolmaster. These lines are found in the poem ‘Ad Posteros’.

‘then I went
To learned Herbert’s kind encouragement,
Herbert, the pride of our Latinity;
Six years with double gifts he guided me.
Method and love, and mind and hand conspired,
Nor ever flagged his mind, nor his hand tired.
This was my shaping season.’

Henry, as the older twin, was destined to succeed his father as squire so he was in Oxford for only two years. He was then sent to London to study the law. Thomas was to be a clergyman so stayed at Oxford for four years. He entered Holy Orders and became Rector of Llansanffraed.

Civil war broke out in 1642 and Henry was recalled to his home. He was an ardent Royalist and a man of peace. There was little for him to do and so he writes that he studied and practiced Physics for many years. In 1677 he is described as a doctor and uses the letters MD after his name. He practiced medicine throughout Breconshire and his reputation spread far and wide.

From his writings we know that Vaughan had a horror of war and hated the idea of bloodshed, but he served in the army, probably inspired to do so when Charles 1 visited Brecon in 1645. It is possible that he was in the siege of Raglan Castle under the command of his kinsman the Marquis of Worcester. Raglan was the last stronghold to surrender on August 19th 1646.

Henry Vaughan’s best known poem has been set to music as Hymn no 286 in Hymns Ancient and Modern:

‘My soul there is a country far, far beyond the stars
There above noise and danger
Sweet peace sits crowned with smiles
And one born in a manger
Commands the beauteous files.

If thou canst get but thither
There grows the flower of Peace
The Rose that cannot wither
Thy fortress and thy ease.’

The following is a small, but beautiful fragment from one of Henry Vaughan’s poems on personal loss entitled ‘The World’

‘I saw eternity the other night
Like a great ring of pure and endless light,
All calm as it was bright,
And round beneath it time in hours, days, years,
Driven by the spheres,
Like a vast shadow moved in which the world
And all her train were hurled.’

Henry Vaughan died in 1695 in Llansanffraid, near Brecon where he was also born and spent most of his life. His grave, with a very large tombstone, can be seen outside the church and a memorial tablet to him inside.

Henry’s teacher, Matthew Herbert, was displaced from Llangattock in 1646, after the Royalist defeat. He courageously continued to preach in the parish, but he died shortly after the Restoration and his wife and children were left destitute.