Report and photo from the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley Review.
A memorial window to Forest poet FW Harvey was dedicated in St Peter’s church, Minsterworth on 12 November 2016.
Harvey was churchwarden and choirmaster at Minsterworth Church and his affection for the village was an important influence.
Five generations of the poet’s family, including his 94-year-old daughter Eileen, were at St Peter’s Church to see the window dedicated by the Right Rev David Jennings, a former Bishop of Warrington and now an honorary assistant bishop in Gloucester.
Bishop David said it was “a very particular pleasure” to be asked to dedicate the window which was designed and made by Graham Dowding of Nailsworth near Stroud.
The bishop said his father described a slim volume of Harvey’s poetry as one of his “most precious and treasured possessions.”
The FW Harvey Society worked with the church on the project to install the window which reflects the Gloucestershire countryside and its wildlife which was such an inspiration to Harvey.
At it centre is a quote from his poem The Return which was written when Harvey was in a prisoner-of-war camp in Germany during the First World War.
Bishop David said: “We are giving thanks to God for the life and work of Will Harvey and the window that is to be dedicated in his memory is the result of much hard work by the vicar and churchwardens and the church council of this parish working closely with the FW Harvey Society.
“All are to be congratulated on bringing it to such a successful conclusion with the window so beautifully designed and made by Graham Dowding.
“How good it is that this remarkable Gloucestershire man, soldier, poet, husband, father, grandfather, solicitor, broadcaster now has a window to honour his memory in the place he loved so much.”
There were readings of Harvey’s poetry by Paula Lynch, Anthony Boden and Anthony Lynch.
The service was led by Rev Steve Taylor, who is vicar at Minsterworth, and the choir included members of the Blaisdon-based Tan House Singers.