Prince Charles Visits St.Mary's

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Prince Charles & Robert Davey Sir Timothy Colman, The Lord Lieutenant (in dark suit) & Canon Peter Taylor, Rector of St.Mary's

Medieval Paintings Admired

Prince Charles admired the medieval paintings at the ancient church at Houghton-on-the-Hill during his visit to West Norfolk on Wednesday.

The Prince was travelling from his appointment at Beachamwell village church to Lynn, stopping at StMary's enroute, which was presented last year with a top conservation award for restoration work that brought the building back from the brink of ruin.

Churchwarden Bob Davey said the Prince had been enthusiastic about the wall frescoes that had been uncovered by restoration work and thought to be the country's earliest untouched 11th century examples of such works of art.

"He stayed for over half-an-hour and really enjoyed it," said Mr. Davey.

The Prince met the nearby Necton village rector, Canon Peter Taylor, Mr. Peter Oxborough, who has been recording the restoration work, and his wife Janet as well as Mr. Davey.

Mr. Davey said the church administrators had known for some time of the private visit and everybody had been very excited about it

The project was compared to the restoration of Windsor Castle when the two buildings were judged equal by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and shared with the Building Conservation Award.

Reprinted with kind permission from the Eastern Standard Press, Norfolk.