A RURAL church’s long silence was broken at the weekend with an evening of unabashed nostalgia harking back down the decades.

Yazor Church, with its slender spire standing sentinel in a lush, farmland setting looking across to the Black Mountains, awoke from a 30-year slumber for a ‘Summer Serenade’, which offered everything from Elgar to the heady days of Blackpool Tower Ballroom.

St Mary the Virgin, declared redundant in 1986, was packed to its lofty rafters with more than 200 people for the special concert celebrating the restoration of the church organ.

One of nine Herefordshire churches saved by the Churches Conservation Trust (CCT), the Grade II building, claimed to be one of the diocese’s most beautiful churches, remains consecrated.

Speaking at the concert, CCT’s area director, Colin Shearer said the church, which positively shone with music and candlelight, was one of 340 protected by the trust in England.

“They are all finding a new way forward so that future generations can enjoy them forever,” said Mr Shearer.

“Yazor church is in good shape, as good as it has been for many years.”

He congratulated those who looked after the building, and put together last Friday night’s programme.

“I knew this was going to be special, with this full church on a July evening, the birdsong outside, the flowers and the candles,” he added:

“Anyone cycling past this evening might fall off their bikes hearing ‘Jerusalem’ sung like that!”

The audience was welcomed by Major David Davenport, who was christened at Yazor church 80 years ago.

Windows in the central nave were installed to mark the marriages of his ancestors in the years following the building’s completion in 1851.

Major Davenport explained the church organ had been “unplayable and almost beyond repair” until a chance meeting with Victor Saville from Carnforth, who has since restored the organ to full glory.

Major Davenport and Dr Kenneth Keenan, who played a selection of music on piano, were at the forefront of moves to stage the concert.

The church organ was put through its paces with a programme that included Purcell, Bach and Elgar, and its versatility was evident from a range of stirring Wurlitzer pieces.

The audience was told that it was “just possible” that Elgar had visited Yazor church on his regular cycling tours of the county with Hereford Cathedral organist, Dr George Sinclair.

“We know he visited these parts and it’s rather a lovely thought that he might have been here,” said guest organist Robert Green.

Lancashire organist, David Hall also performed, and the choir of St Mary’s Parish Church, Dilwyn was in fine voice.

The varied programme included songs from television’s long-running show, The Good Old Days, and memories of Yazor Sunday School were revived with a series of hymns for children.

Donations on admission to the concert were given to the Churches Conservation Trust.