Boscawen George Henry Somerset, Rector of Crickhowell in 1875 and cousin to the ninth Duke of Beaufort, would be pleased to see the lych gate he gifted to the parishioners of Crickhowell is now back in good repair. The lych gate was erected in 1886 but has been in a serious state of disrepair for over ten years.

The Crickhowell and District Civic Society decided the lych gate should be preserved for future generations and began the restoration project in 2017 working with a range of local community groups including the Crickhowell History Society, the Crickhowell and District Archives, and Friends of the Church, and also solicited contributions from businesses and residents to save this piece of local history.

The project was enabled through generous grants and donations from, The Llangattock Bridge Club, The Percy Davies Institute, The Community Foundation in Wales, The Watts Family, Crickhowell Town Council, community donations from residents and businesses, The Bags for Crickhowell group and the Aviva Community fund.

Bennett Conservation Services Ltd. was contracted to carry out the restoration.

David Williams, chairman of the Crickhowell and District Civic Society, said, “The Civic Society is very pleased to see this feature of the town saved and restored beautifully by David Bennett.

“By renovating the lych gate, we are preserving the interesting architectural character and heritage of our conservation area.”

If you wish to find out more about Crickhowell and District Civic Society or support its work, please contact: [email protected] or write to: C&D Civic Society, c/o CRIC, Beaufort Street, Crickhowell, Powys NP8 1BN.