St Ellyw's, Llanelieu, Powys © The Friends of Friendless Churches. Deep in the Black Mountains in a large and ancient churchyard, this church is renowned for its 14th century blood-red rood screen and loft.
Open to all
After a weekend retreat in Sussex in 2021 and in Northumberland in 2022, join us this September for a weekend in the beautiful area of the Black Mountains around Monmouthshire, Herefordshire and Powys in South Wales with talks, walks and an art trail in churches curated by Jacquiline Creswell for A+C exploring the theme of ‘Vessel’.
PROGRAMME
Start: Friday 13 September 5.15pm St Mary's Priory, Abergavenny (join our optional Llandaff Cathedral guided tour in Cardiff at 12:30 for an extra £20)
Finish: Sunday 15 September 4.45pm Abergavenny Station
The weekend will begin with a lecture by Rev’d Canon Jarel Robinson-Brown at 5.30pm at St Mary's Priory, Abergavenny on Friday. His lecture is titled ‘Living Stones: Buildings, Bodies and Spirit’.
The lecture is followed by drinks and finger food supper at St Mary’s.
There is also a Sung Vespers in the Church at 7pm.
On Saturday morning we’ll visit four of the churches on the ‘Vessel’ art trail (St Mary's, Llanfair Kilgeddin, St David's Llangeview, St Michael and All Angels, Gwernesey, St Jerome's Llangwm) led by Jacquiline Creswell, curator of the art trail and a trustee of A+C.
After lunch, we’ll return to St Mary's Priory, Abergavenny for a presentation and panel discussion on curating and organising art within very rural churches and chapels. We are also arranging a short participatory act/performance on the theme of Vessel to close the day.
Attendees have their evening free.
On Sunday, there is a Eucharist at St Mary's at 8am. Other local services will be listed nearer the time.
From 9.45am on Sunday morning, we’ll continue visiting churches on the ‘Vessel’ art trail (St Cadoc's Llangattock Vibon Avel, Castle Chapel Urishay). After a lunch in Talgarth, we’ll drive to the final church on the trail, St Ellyw's, Llanelieu, with an optional walk back to Talgarth. (A lift can be arranged for those wanting to walk back.)
TRANSPORT
Attendees are asked to make their own travels arrangements to Abergavenny on Friday. All other transport during the weekend will be provided but if attendees wish to drive their own cars they are welcome to do so, (see reduced tickets prices). For those travelling by train there will be a drop-off at Abergavenny Station on Sunday afternoon at 4:45pm.
ACCOMMODATION
Attendees are asked to book their own accommodation in or near Abergavenny.
We recommend looking at https://www.visitabergavenny.co.uk/accommodation_type/bbs-guest-houses/
to suit your needs. Or choose from this list of recommended B&Bs and pubs with accommodation:
Pen-Y-Dre Farm, Llanvihangel Crucorney https://penydre.co.uk/
Great Park Barn, near Llanvihangel Crucorney http://great-park-barn-bed-breakfast.hotels-wales.com/en/
Celyn Farm, Forest Coal Pit https://celynfarm.co.uk/
The Old Rectory at Llangattock Lingoed https://www.visitmonmouthshire.com/accommodation/the-old-rectory-p1500121
Hunters Moon Inn at Llangattock Lingoed https://www.hunters-moon-inn.co.uk/
The Crown Inn, Longtown https://crowninnlongtown.co.uk/
For a self catering, bigger groups:
Bunk Barn at Llanthony Priory https://www.llanthonybunkbarn.co.uk/
Bunk House at Llwyn Celyn https://www.landmarktrust.org.uk/
Please email admin@artandchristianity.org if you’re interested in a group booking.
SPEAKERS
Jarel Robinson Brown
Father Jarel Robinson-Brown is Vicar of St German’s Church, Adamsdown, Cardiff. He was prior to this Assistant Curate at St Botolph-without-Aldgate and Holy Trinity Minors in the City of London. He is Visiting Scholar at Sarum College, Salisbury and Co-Chair of the LGBT+ Christian Charity OneBodyOneFaith. Jarel trained for ordination at Wesley House, Cambridge from 2010 – 2013 and served as Ordinand at Clare College, Cambridge. From 2013 – 2018 he served as Minister of St Andrew’s Methodist Church and Rumney Methodist Church in South Wales, then Minister of Trinity Methodist Church, Plumstead and Abbey Wood Methodist Church. From 2019 – 2021 he served as Associate Chaplain at King’s College London and in the Parish of Putney. In 2021 he was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon on the Feast of St Thomas and priest on the Feast of St Andrew. In September 2023, Archbishop Andrew John, Primate of Wales made Jarel Canon Preacher of St Deiniol’s Cathedral, Bangor. In November 2023 he was made MLK Fellow of Regent’s Park College, University of Oxford a post which he will hold for five years.
Since 2009-2022 Jacquiline has been central to the development of visual arts programmes at Salisbury and Chichester among other Cathedrals. Now she is a freelance Visual Art Advisor and is engaged as the Consultant Curator for the Association of English Cathedrals. She is also a Trustee and Project Curator of A+C and Director and Curator for WAC.
Over the past 16 years Jacquiline has delivered over 55 exhibitions, working with a diverse group of artists, galleries, foundations and estates. These include Antony Gormley, Lemn Sissay, Mark Wallinger, David Mach and Ana Maria Pacheco, galleries such as The Lisson, Osborne Samuel, Hauser&Wirth and the estates of Henry Moore, Lynn Chadwick, Barbara Hepworth and others. She has developed lasting relationships with many of the leading figures in the contemporary art world whose dedication and support has been crucial to the success of the many projects delivered.
Julia Porter-Pryce, Community Co-ordinator for Vessel
Julia a freelance curator based in Hay-on-Wye with 25 years’ experience of working with art in sacred spaces. After 15 years in museum management, she worked as an Anglican priest in Hackney where she ran a programme of residencies and community arts projects. For 10 years she co-ordinated creative arts engagement in the Diocese of London. She has been a member of the St Paul’s Cathedral Visual Arts Committee and an Advisor to Art and Christianity. Julia has been based in the Black Mountains for three years.
Julia is passionate about connecting artists with places of worship as a means of interpreting faith traditions and at the same time making art accessible to new audiences.
COSTS
Full weekend ticket members (driving your own car) £140
Full weekend ticket members with minibus £190
Full weekend ticket non-members with minibus £230
Friday evening lecture and finger food supper £35
Please note lunches are not included in the costs.