News
TRH visit Hereford Cathedral
30th January 2009
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall were greeted with loud cheers today as they arrived at Hereford Cathedral.
Their Royal Highnesses toured the Cathedral before attending a reception to mark the start of a project to restore the cathedral's grounds.
The £5 million project to restore the close of 12th Century cathedral is expected to take up to three years and includes the relaying of the drainage system and the upgrade of pathways.
The project also includes the conservation of a barn, part of which dates back to 1253.
The Prince, who today extended his patronage of the Hereford Cathedral Perpetual Trust, said it gave him "such joy and pleasure" to be associated with the cathedral and its restoration.
Speaking at the reception, The Prince said: "I am so thrilled on this occasion to be able to come and help mark the beginning of the close restoration project, long overdue, but then the fact that you have been able to ensure this project gets off the ground will, I know, make the most enormous difference to the cathedral.
"I hope to come back and see the results of all your labours so far as the close is concerned."
The Prince, who has redundant stone from the cathedral in his garden at Highgrove, was presented with five oak trees and a piece of carved stone to commemorate the occasion.
The Dean of Hereford, the Very Rev Michael Tavinor, thanked The Prince and The Duchess for attending the reception and said: "Herefordshire has, we feel sure, a special place in your heart."
After their arrival at the cathedral, The Prince and The Duchess chatted with excited schoolchildren and were treated to a performance by the cathedral's choir.
Choirboys Toby Upham and Peter Entwistle, both aged eight, presented The Duchess with flowers before the pair viewed the cathedral's art exhibition.
Ludmila Pawlowska, a Russian-born artist who now lives in Sweden, is exhibiting 164 pieces in her "Icons in transformation" exhibition.
After showing The Prince her work, she said: "He is very interested in all the art. It was great to meet him, he was very interested in the colours I used and how I was inspired to go from classical art to contemporary art."
During their tour The Prince and The Duchess met a team of stonemasons who work in the Masons' Yard in the cathedral grounds.
Simon Hudson, head mason, said he had met The Prince before, 10 years ago, and was amazed when The Prince recognised him.
He said: "Ten years ago we met for about 10 seconds and he said 'I remember you, we've met before'. I couldn't believe it."
Mr Hudson said the company, Capps & Capps Ltd, had made a seat for The Prince's garden at Highgrove.
"The Prince said he was pleased with the way it was weathering in,"
he added.
Local Paralympians Sascha Kindred and Nyree Lewis, who both won medals in Beijing for swimming, also met Their Royal Highnesses and were presented with a specially-made set of Olympic rings carved in stone to mark the occasion.
Glyn Morgan, Secretary of the Hereford Cathedral Perpetual Trust, which has overseen many restoration projects at the cathedral, said: "Over the years the close has deteriorated through lack of investment - it has just not been a priority.
"Everyone is delighted that The Prince has come here today and extended his patronage. He has been a good support."