Graveyard Tales

Richard Davies explores the link between Bishop Anthony Rudd and St Cathen’s Church, Llangathen.

Beyond any shadow of a doubt, Aberglasney Gardens in the Tywi Valley is a wonderful place to spend a day at any time of the year. But after enjoying the pleasures of the gardens, why not venture further afield and visit St Cathen’s Church, Llangathen?

One of the most distinctive things to see there is the renowned memorial to Bishop Anthony Rudd and his wife Anne. Rudd was a native of Yorkshire and was a student at Cambridge. He had a distinguished career in the church, culminating with his appointment as Dean of Gloucester in 1584 and his ordination as Bishop of St Davids in 1594.

He was recognised as a fine preacher, one who had earned plaudits from Queen Elizabeth. The story has it that the Queen was so pleased with Rudd that she told the then Archbishop of Canterbury, John Whitgift, that she would like to see Rudd succeed him.

Either out of kindness or jealousy, Whitgift advised that the Queen favoured plain sermons which came home to her heart! (DNB, vol. 49). As such, when the next invitation came to preach in front of the Queen at Richmond in 1596, he chose as his text the words of Psalm 90:12 – So teach us to count our days that we may gain a wise heart. But Rudd went too far, and talked too much about the Queen’s age, signs that she was getting older and that death was approaching! Unsurprisingly, the Queen wasn’t happy and further promotions escaped Rudd, and he remained Bishop of St Davids until his death in 1615.

The memorial erected by Anne Rudd in the church to commemorate her husband is a fine example of its kind – one of the finest in the country. But don’t take my word for it – why not visit the church and see the memorial for yourself?