Poets and artists have long been drawn to Herefordshire and the surrounding areas. Over the centuries voices and visions have often mingled in praise of this much loved land.

Now, author of Poems and Paintings of the Malvern Hills, Jonathan Lumby, has selected Poems and Paintings of Herefordshire and the neighbouring Marches.

This is a magnificent collection, published by Logaston Press. There are some well-known verses, mixed with others, probably new to many readers, and all alongside some of the most atmospheric and evocative paintings of this beautiful border country.

This new anthology includes 30 poets from William Wordsworth to Frances Horovitz and 30 artists, including Hereford’s most famous, Brian Hatton and Joshua Cristall, who settled in Goodrich.

Side by side they evoke the beauty of the landscape, the River Wye and the inhabitants of this rural area.

I personally enjoyed the poem by Jim Denning ‘Herefordshire ways of looking at a barn,’ which reflects on the way so many of the old country buildings have been turned into lavish homes, and I am sure I will not be alone in admiring the picture of the Hereford Cow by Edmund Ward Gill and the many lovely paintings of the sheep.

There is a picture of Ross Market Place included, painted by Cornelius Varley in 1803. It is incredible to see what has changed and yet how familiar the scene is.

The volume also contains a short biography of all the artists and poets.

Logaston is a hamlet in north Herefordshire, close to the border between England and Wales, and is well-known for publishing books about the history, archaeology, architecture and people of this area of Britain.

Jonathan’s childhood in Lancashire and schooldays at Wrekin in Shropshire were followed by a degree at Cambridge. He has taught in Zimbabwe and in England, was Rector of Milverton in Somerset and of Eccleston near Chester.

Poems and Paintings of Herefordshire and the neighbouring Marches, selected by Jonathan Lumby is published in paperback. It has 160 pages and includes over 80 paintings. Price at £12.95 it is available from local bookshops.

Jo Scrivin