GORSEDH Kernow’s annual bardic ceremony, held at Newquay at the start of the month, was heralded as an ‘amazing event’ by Launceston’s newest bard.

Jane Nancarrow, of St Stephens, was named of one of the 16 new bards for 2018 last month for her services to Cornish literature, and her inauguration took place during Gorsedh Kernow Esedhvos Festival’s iconic blue robed bardic ceremony on Saturday, September 1.

It was at the ceremony the bardic names of the 16 new initiates into the College of Bards were heard. Jane’s is Skrifores Nans Karow meaning ‘Writer of the Valley of the Deer’.

Jane has written short stories, three local novels, and hopes to publish another novel before Christmas.

Jane explained she had trouble choosing a bardic name, as she would have liked to have Launceston — Lanstefan, incorporated, but any bard’s name, past or present, cannot be replicated.

Other bardic names including Launceston include Rob Tremain’s — Cryor An Dre Lanstefan (town crier of Launceston); Arthur Wills’ — Gwas Pryorjy Lanstephan (servant of Launceston Priory); the late Sir Albert Edward Sloman’s — Map Lanstephan (son of Launceston); Bill Roberts’ — Scryfer Lanstefan; and Pamela Davey’s — Flogh Lannstefan (child of Launceston).

Jane said she spoke to the outgoing Grand Bard, Merv Davey, Telynyor an Weryn, ahead of choosing her bardic name. She suggested ‘Nans Karow’, which means valley of the deer, which the Grand Bard thought very appropriate, as the school Jane attended was down by the old deer park below the castle.

Jane chose to combine this with Skrifores — the female form of ‘writer’. Jane added: “It is a link between the family name and where I went to school — dear old National.”

Jane, a Launceston town councillor, was a pupil and disciple of Charles Causley who works hard for the Charles Causley Festival and is one of the finest readers of Causley’s poetry.

Jane had a role in Edward Woodward’s last film ‘A Congregation of Ghosts’ as a churchwarden’s wife — which she found amusing at the time, as she was then a churchwarden for St Thomas.

However, Jane says she did not have a leading role in the film, as previous reports suggested. The Post is happy to clarify this.