While the country awaits the birth of the royal baby, the Prince of Wales visits York Minster where a major restoration project is in full swing.
On the first of a two-day tour of Yorkshire, Prince Charles met with specialists working on a project to restore and conserve parts of York Minster, the biggest medieval Gothic cathedral north of the Alps.
York Minster Revealed is a £20 million project, the largest of its kind in Europe. The Great East Window is currently being restored in an operation that combines ancient craft traditions with contemporary science. York Minster Stoneyard and York Glaziers Trust have worked together on the window, which with 311 panels, is the most sizeable expanse of medieval stained glass in the country. The Minster’s undercroft restoration has recently been completed and Prince Charles was able to explore the exhibition there.
His Royal Highness met the Dean of York, the Very Reverend Vivienne Faull who said it was an honour to welcome him to the city’s religious keystone and explain the extensive work going on there.
“As well as the ongoing maintenance work the Minster requires, our talented team of 25 masons and carvers are currently conserving and replacing nearly 3,500 stones in the Great East Window,” said Rev. Faull. “The team includes four apprentices, allowing us to invest in training young people in specialist skills while investing in the fabric and future of this ancient building.”
Sam Turner, apprentice mason at the York Minster Stoneyard, said: “It was a huge privilege to meet Prince Charles and explain the masonry work we do at the Minster, while showing him some of the work I’ve already completed in the first year of my four year apprenticeship. I’ve already learnt a lot from the team here and look forward to continuing my training and having the opportunity to leave my mark on this magnificent building.”
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