Ode to Henry le Strange

There’s a poetic tribute to Henry le Strange at the unveiling of a statue in his honour today (Friday).

Le Strange’s Dream has been penned by poet and historical author Gareth Calway, of Sedgeford.

He said: “I was delighted to be asked by the borough council to write a poem in honour of Henry le Strange of Hunstanton and also to perform it at the unveiling of his statue on Friday.

“I’m further delighted that Vanessa Wood-Davies, my partner in Lovehearts & Redwine (a harp and spoken word duo) will join me in this performance.”

Vanessa, also of Sedgeford, has written a harp accompaniment to the poem. It is the latest collaboration between the pair, whose musical storytelling has adorned several artistic ventures about local heroes in recent years.

These include A Nice Guy: The Burning of William Sawtrey – Gareth’s morality play about the Lynn priest burned for his beliefs in 1401, which the duo and five others presented in the courtyard of Hanse House as part of the Lynn Festival Fringe in 2015.

Gareth and Vanessa’s recent album Lancelot and the Grail Maiden, of mainly Norfolk stories, was launched at the Bury St Edmunds Festival in May.

Vanessa said: “Gareth showed me the new lyric on Friday and I was able to come up with a tune for it. We now have a week to rehearse it.

“The good thing about a home-made album is that you can add a new track and Le Strange’s Dream will definitely be on the second edition.”

Gareth, who wrote the lyrics of the Millennium Anthem for Hunstanton in 2000, also wrote and performed his rap The Ballad of Badass King John at the borough’s other recent statue unveiling in Lynn last October.