A POPULAR radio show was recorded in a village churchyard to mark 300 years since the birth of an influential poet.

The BBC Radio Four show, Poetry Please, was recorded at St Giles’ Church in Stoke Poges, with presenter Roger McGough discussing the influence of Thomas Gray, who wrote Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard.

The show visits the cemetery in Stoke Poges, which is featured in the famous poem.

Diana Le Clercq, who has coordinated a project to mark the tercentenary in the village, was delighted to see the crew in the village to recognise the importance of Thomas Gray.

She said: “I introduced myself to a producer of the show at a poetry show in Cambridge and I spoke to her about the 300th anniversary and asked them about getting involved. She came back to me and said yes and it has all been very exciting.

“It is a programme that is listened to by lots of poetry lovers and Roger is quite a name in that world. They visited various graves in the churchyard and it is great that they are talking about Stoke Poges.”

Gray is buried in the tomb outside of the Hastings Chapel at the church in Church Lane.

The show, which is episode three in the latest series, is due to air at 4.30pm on Sunday, September 4.