THE Housman Society’s new edition of A E Housman’s Last Poems, published in this centenary year to mark their first publication, is being launched in Ludlow.

The launch will be held on Saturday, April 23 at Castle Bookshop.

In the afternoon there will be a VIP reception.

There is currently no available edition of Last Poems and the Society’s new edition has a Foreword by the Poet Laureate, Sir Andrew Motion, and an introduction by the renowned Housman biographer, Edgar Vincent.

A set of commentaries, written by John Cartwright, Professor Emeritus of Chester University, who is also Vice-Chair of Ludlow Civic Society, accompanies the poems.

Mr Cartright will be introducing the new edition at the launch in Castle Bookshop.

Alfred Edward Houseman lived from 1859 until 1936 and is regarded as one of the greatest of English poets.

Perhaps his best known work is: 'A Shropshire Lad'.' much of which was written from his home in London before he ever came to Shropshire.

The book has been in continuous print since it was first published in 1896 and paints an idealistic picture of life in rural Shropshire before the First World War. But it also draws attention to the limited choices available to young people living in such a rural county.

The Housman Society was founded in 1973 and exists to promote knowledge and appreciation of the lives and works of A.E. Housman and other members of his family.

In 1996 it was the centenary of the publication of A Shropshire Lad and the climax to a year of varied celebration was the dedication of a window to A.E. Housman in Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey.

Now 2022 is the centenary of A.E. Housman’s second volume of verse, titled Last Poems.

The Society has marked the centenary by publishing a commemorative edition with a Foreword by Vice-President Sir Andrew Motion.

Almost 40 years ago Houseman's ashes were moved to Ludlow

Housman’s ashes were buried against the north wall of St Laurence’s Church in 1985 .