Llanthony Secunda Priory. Gloucester

Cat’s Eye Carving is once again working with the Llanthony Secunda Priory Trust to bring you the Gloucester Stone Carving Festival which will celebrate the finish of the restoration of the buildings at the Llanthony Secunda Priory.
This year’s event is taking place on all three days of the August Bank holiday culminating in a grand live auction on Bank holiday Monday at 1.30pm . Mark Stafford Lovatt is giving up his time to preside over the auction which will be held in the newly restored Medieval Brick Range.
This year the 90% of the profit from the auction will go to the Llanthony Secunda Priory Trust and 10% will go to the Samaritans.
20 stonemasons are giving up their time to carve magical, mythical creatures out of Cotswold limestone. The pieces of stone measuring 200 x 200 x300mm have been kindly donated by Veizeys quarry in Tetbury. They will be working on benches built (at no charge)by Severnside Scaffolding.
Carrie Horwood of Cat’s Eye Carving, who is a stonemason, started organising her festivals in 2008 at Harts Barn in Longhope in order to raise money for charity and to raise the profile of stonemasonry as an important and historic craft.
In 2013 Carrie organised her first festival at the Llanthony Secunda Priory in Gloucester, the profit from the auction was divided between Gloucester Geology trust and the Priory Trust, in 2015 Carrie returned with her festival to delight the crowds once more and show off not only her own skill but that of 24 stone masons. Carrie carves the raffle prize in an effort to raise money to help pay for the event. In 2013 it was a Mermaid to tie in with the nautical theme, in 2015 it was an Elephant as the theme was wild animals, this year’s raffle prize is a carving of Demeter the Greek Goddess of Harvest and Grain.
In 2015 the Llanthony Secunda Priory Trust was successful in their lottery bid which enabled them to carry out their restoration programme.
Carrie’s festival heralds the coming of a new era in this historic site’s colourful history as the buildings will be complete and open for visitors.
The Llanthony Secunda Priory Trust will be running tours around the newly restored buildings.
Find out more about the priory at www.llanthonysecunda.org
The event will be open daily from 10am – 5pm Sat 25th and Sun 26th and then 10am – 3pm (on the 27th) Bank Holiday Monday. There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony as the site is officially opened, prize giving for the top 3 carvings then the auction at 1.30 and finally the raffle will be drawn.
You will be able to come and watch the carvers working, Gloucester Geology Trust and the Newport Ship Trust will be there running activities and answering questions. Some members of the Forgotten Skills group will be demonstrating and selling their creations, there will also be an opportunity to have a go at stone carving and buy beautiful creations from Jewellery by Helen.
The event is free to enter but some of the activities will charge or ask for donations.
Severn cider will be running a full bar, Isabel’s Bakehouse will be selling crepes, tea and coffee and there will be live music on Sunday afternoon from Banshee, a superb Ceilidh band.