WHEN Dylan Farrier, the new Custos – head verger – at Great Malvern Priory was checking the candle supplies he could not have imagined what he would find – a surprise, almost 100 years-old, ‘time capsule’.

Beneath the Communion Table a prayer book was concealed, tucked away out of sight. Opening it, he discovered inside the inscription ‘Joyce M Austin March, 1928’. Some online research revealed that Joyce was an accomplished artist and that her family had set up a website dedicated to her art.

Contact was made with her great nephew Chris Hamilton, who shared a photograph which showed Joyce working with the team making the kneelers for the Priory’s St Anne’s Chapel in 1980.

Dylan then made another discovery, as he prepared for a Priory baptism at Malvern College Chapel – the Priory’s portable font has a dedication plaque to Joyce.

Her family was then invited to visit the Priory so that Joyce’s prayer book could be returned. Three generations turned up and were warmly welcomed.

Dylan handed the prayer book to Sue Hamilton, her niece, who identified the inscription as being in Joyce’s mother’s hand – Hilda Austin. Sue told Dylan about the bench on the Malvern Hills, near the Wyche cutting, dedicated to Hilda and Harry Austin, Joyce’s parents.

The family were shown the portable font and the kneelers and were introduced to Canon Rev Bill Richards who had been the Priory Vicar for some of Joyce’s time at the Priory. Canon Rev Bill Richards Priory leaving present had been a watercolour painting- by Joyce Austin. A beautiful view of Moat Court, Sherrards Green, the Malvern Hills in the background and with Joyce’s notes about the building carefully fixed to the back.

As Joyce’s great-great niece sat at the piano, effortlessly filling the Priory with glorious music, tentative plans began to be made, for an exhibition of Joyce’s art, in the Priory.