Pant Glas - Valley of Animals

Methodists, Catholic nuns, spiritualists and members of the Baha'i faith are amongst those present at an outdoor, inter-denominational religious service at 'Pant Glas' animal sanctuary, Tre'r-Ddôl, Ceredigion, on 8/4/1969. The Bishop of Liberal Catholics in Kent, the Rt. Rev. E James Burton, leads the service to dedicate author Elma M Williams' outdoor chapel – complete with pews, pulpit and piano – to St Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals.

Elma M Williams (1913-71), seen here wearing red, moved from Birmingham to Wales in 1957 to write romantic thrillers but became a bestselling author with stories of life at 'Pant Glas' e.g. 'Valley of Animals' (1963), 'The Pant Glas Story' (1970). Accompanying music for the religious service was provided on tape by Professor Ian Parrott, holder of the Gregynog Chair of Music at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, from 1950 to 1983. He is present as are a number of other well-known local people including pianist Michael James from Borth and photographer Phil Davies. Shot by Gwen Davies of 'Dolclettwr' farm, Taliesin, whose husband, John, is seen being interviewed.