While parts of Hereford Cathedral date back to the 11th century, the cathedral’s Perpetual Trust just celebrated its 25th year — and as its patron, the Prince of Wales joined in for a belated celebration to mark the occasion.
The Prince of Wales stopped by the cathedral while he was visiting the Duchy of Cornwall Estate on 22 February, taking in some of the new restorations that have been possible due to the Trust’s work. One of the projects he learned about was Ascension, the cathedral’s Special Air Service (SAS) memorial, which was dedicated in a service attended by the Duke of Cambridge in 2017.
The memorial includes a sculpture and stained glass window designed by artist Tom Maine. According to the cathedral, the window is made from 3,000 pieces of glass in 40 different colours, and the stone includes the SAS badge and motto.
Other projects the Prince of Wales viewed included the newly restored Choir House and Old Chapel, which were updated thanks to the Trust’s Eastern Cloister Project. He also learned about the Cathedral Close’s restoration and viewed a metalwork exhibition titled ‘All Things Bright.’
Charles met the new Dean of Hereford, the Very Revd Sarah Brown, for the first time, with the Dean saying their meeting was “wonderful.” She added the Prince of Wales “first visited the cathedral in the 1980s and has supported our work throughout that time. It was a pleasure to be able to talk to him about our future aspirations.”
In addition, the Prince of Wales was able to meet with local children taking advantage of the cathedral’s half-term activities.
Nat Hone, chair of the cathedral’s Perpetual Trust, shared how the organisation was “touched” by Charles’s visit.
“His Royal Highness has always been a very supportive Patron of the Trust,” Hone said. “It was a pleasure to be able to show him some of the projects we have funded, to talk about the importance of building an endowment to secure the cathedral’s long-term financial future and to be able to discuss Dean Sarah’s vision for our future ministry.”
