There are new recruits and then there are new recruits... and this was a case of the latter!

HRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall recently paid a visit to Lincoln Cathedral to tour its Works Department and witness first hand the skill and talent it takes to keep the keep the Cathedral in good order — a task that requires no less than £3m each year and the dedication of a 30 person team.

His Royal Highness was shown a replacement statue of St Mary created by the Works Department’s Aiden Hart which will appear at the east end of the Cathedral. The Prince also tried his hand at stonemasonry, under the supervision of Paul Atkin, who leads a team of seven masons, using material from the Cathedral’s own quarry just outside Lincoln to create bespoke fabrications to replace worn elements of the building.

During his visit to Lincolnshire the Prince also discussed the future of farming in Lincolnshire by paying a visit to Lincoln’s Riseholme College to meet the county’s Young Farmers. His Royal Highness then met supporters of The Prince’s Countryside Fund, which aims to secure a sustainable future for British agriculture and ensuring the strength of the rural economy for years to come. The Duchess of Cornwall, meanwhile, enjoyed the company of Lincolnshire South Women’s Institute. The Duchess herself is a life-long member of Tetbury Evening’s WI and rejoined the Prince to visit the Cholmeley Arms in Burton-le-Coggles afterwards.

The Prince of Wales is no stranger to Lincolnshire, having given his son Prince Williams his wings at RAF Cranwell in 2008, and having trained in the county himself in 1971.

Lincoln Cathedral’s Reverend Philip Buckler, Dean of Lincoln, is delighted to announce that His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, has accepted the Cathedral’s invitation to become Patron of the Cathedral Fabric Fund.His Royal Highness’s term as Patron will begin in November 2011 and last for five years. This announcement comes as The Prince and The Duchess have today visited the Cathedral, to meet volunteers and supporters and view the restoration work taking place.

“We were thrilled that his Royal Highness and The Duchess of Cornwall were to visit the cathedral; for The Prince to agree to become our Patron is an exceptional honour and reflects on the skills of the men and women who work so hard to preserve this wonderful building.”

The Dean added “We greatly look forward to keeping His Royal Highness informed of the progress of the Fabric Fund as it continues to undertake its ancient role of raising funds to maintain and preserve the fabric of Lincoln Cathedral. We were delighted to accept a donation from The Prince of Wales’s Charitable Foundation toward the Fabric Fund.”

In the period during which The Prince will be patron, we hope to complete the conservation and restoration of work of restoring the South West and North West turrets at the West End of the cathedral, but also aim to build the Fabric Fund to meet the challenges ahead including the restoration of the east end, the Chapter House and the three towers which
dominate the Lincoln skyline.

In recent years the Works Department in the Cathedral has been responsible for restoring The Dean’s Eye window, which the Prince saw for himself in 2006, and which dates back to 1330, as well as the West Front’s Romanesque Frieze. The Cathedral was originally constructed in 1072 after William the Conqueror ordered Bishop Remigius to create the building. Originally built in timber, which would be reconstructed in 1185 after a major earthquake.