Hymn: Earth’s fragile beauties we posses

Sung in Worship: July 14, 2024

The words are by Robert Andrew Willis, b. 1947, Dean of Hereford 1992-2000 and Dean of Canterbury 2001-2023. He received a B.A. from Warwick University before studying for ordination at Ripon College Cuddeston and later studying at Worcester College, Oxford. In addition to various parish ministries he was a Vicar Choral of Salisbury and Vicar of Dorchester Abbey before becoming Dean of Hereford. During the COVID pandemic Willis became a YouTube hit when his partner, Fletcher Banner, suggested broadcasting daily services of Morning Prayer from the Deanery garden at Canterbury. They ultimately produced more than 900 services, in a few of which their cats made cameo appearances. Willis has been active in the establishment of Casa Anglicana, a centre for pilgrims of the Anglican Communion in Santiago de Compostela. Willis has written a number of hymns, including many commissioned ones. He has also served on the editorial committee of A&MCP.

The tune for this hymn is Kingsfold, based on a folk tune from Sussex collected by RVW; it’s the name of a tiny hamlet near Horsham where in 1904 VW heard a local singing the ballad “The Murder of Maria Martin” with this tune. It may be as old as the 14C. Lucy Broadwood had published the tune with the name “Lazarus” and the words of the ballad of Dives and Lazarus (Child #56) in English County Songs (1893). RVW’s tune in TEH (1906) for “I heard the voice of Jesus say” combines elements of both the Sussex tune and the one printed by Broadwood.