York Minster welcomes royal visitor
His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales, visited York Minster today to meet the apprentices and specialist craftspeople who work to restore and conserve the medieval cathedral.
Prince Charles toured the Minster and refurbished Undercroft exhibition before visiting the award winning York Minster Stoneyard and York Glaziers Trust to learn about their work on the Great East Window - the largest conservation and restoration project of its kind in Europe.
The Prince of Wales was accompanied by Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, Lord Crathorne and the High Sheriff for North Yorkshire Rev Rachel Benson. At the Minster he was met by the Dean of York, the Very Reverend Vivienne Faull, the Director of the York Minster Fund the Honourable Michael Benson and the Minster Chamberlain Dr Richard Shephard.
The visit included an explanation of the changes taking place under York Minster Revealed (YMR), a £20million project jointly funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) which brings together cutting-edge science and ancient craftsmanship. The project has allowed both the Stoneyard and York Glaziers Trust to expand training in their specialist crafts.
The Dean of York, the Very Reverend Vivienne Faull, said: “It was an honour to welcome His Royal Highness to York Minster today and explain the current work on the Minster undertaken by the York Minster Revealed project and funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
“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. 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.”
Sarah Brown, Director of York Glaziers Trust, said: “We’re currently working closely with the stonemasons on the Great East Window, restoring its 311 panels which make up the largest expanse of medieval stained glass in the country.
“The project has allowed us to continue to expand the training opportunities we can offer. Our team of 17 includes three apprentices, in addition to two fully qualified conservators who originally joined us as trainees, and who have been able to provide help, support and expertise to our new apprentices.”
Restored stained glass panels from the Great East Window can currently be viewed in The Orb inside York Minster, allowing people to see in detail the work to restore the medieval masterpiece.
Prince Charles’ visit to the Minster formed part of a two day tour of Yorkshire with the Duchess of Cornwall, which takes place on 22 and 23 July.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
About York Minster
York Minster is the largest medieval, Gothic cathedral north of the Alps, and one of the nation’s most important cultural and religious icons. The Minster is currently undergoing exciting changes through the York Minster Revealed (YMR) project – the largest conservation and restoration project of its kind in Europe. Key parts of the £20million project, which is jointly funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), include a recently opened new state-of-the-art visitor attraction, Revealing York Minster in the Undercroft, and the restoration of the Minster’s Great East Window. This brings together cutting-edge science and ancient craftsmanship, drawing on the expertise of York Minster’s award winning Stoneyard and the York Glaziers Trust.
A key part of the project has been to expand training in specialist crafts, including stone-masonry and stained glass conservation.
About the Heritage Lottery Fund
Using money raised through the National Lottery, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) aims to make a lasting difference for heritage, people and communities across the UK and help build a resilient heritage economy. From museums, parks and historic places to archaeology, natural environment and cultural traditions, we invest in every part of our diverse heritage. HLF has supported 35,000 projects with more than £5.5bn across the UK. www.hlf.org.uk.
For further media information or images, please contact:
Leanne Woodhurst / Pamela Anthony
Tel: 0844 939 0014 ext 2480
Email: leannew@yorkminster.org or pamelas@yorkminster.org
Jay Commins
Tel: 01904 500698
Mob: 07810 546567
Email: jay@pyperyork.co.uk