Michael Sheppard has been appointed executive director of Cathedrals' Workshop Fellowship (CWF), following the retirement of his predecessor, Frances Cambrook. For the past three years, Michael has served as deputy director and module leader of the Foundation degree in Applied Historic Building Conservation and Repair.
With nearly 20 years' experience in the heritage sector, Michael is an accredited conservator with the Institute of Conservation (ICON) and a member of the Chartered Institute of Building (MCIOB). Prior to joining CWF, he was director of works and property at Lincoln Cathedral, a member cathedral of the CWF.
On his appointment, Michael said: “I am humbled to be taking on the role of Executive Director and leading the organisation forward. Continuing the exceptionally high-quality training which makes such a huge difference to the cathedral works departments and the individuals undertaking the training is a lifetime aspiration for me. The CWF has so many specialist craftspeople working at each cathedral member organisation, and it is an honour to work alongside these individuals and the cathedral teams which form such an incredible network. I look forward to expanding this network and strengthening the relationship between cathedrals and the other fantastic heritage organisations in the UK. It really is an exciting time to be working in heritage and we will do everything we can to ensure more people join the heritage profession, safeguarding our special built heritage assets.”
CWF's chair of the trustees and executive director of Chester Cathedral, Carolyn Bruce said: “I am looking forward to working with Michael in this role. His extensive experience and dedication to heritage conservation are invaluable to the charity and our cathedral membership. Michael’s leadership will undoubtedly enhance our efforts and ensure that we continue to provide top-tier training and support for our members.”
Michael Sheppard has been appointed executive director of Cathedrals' Workshop Fellowship (CWF), following the retirement of his predecessor, Frances Cambrook. For the past three years, Michael has served as deputy director and module leader of the Foundation degree in Applied Historic Building Conservation and Repair.
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Cathedrals' Workshop Fellowship appoint new executive director
Steve began his career as a stone carver but a contract that involved a badly damaged marble mosaic changed the course of his career. Finding this new niche, he became a Tyler-mason. In his youth, he travelled to other countries to restore mosaic floors before specialising in Victorian encaustic and geometric tile restoration. In 1982, he launched Heritage Tiling & Restoration.
How did you get into your profession, and would you describe it as a vocation? I started out as an apprentice stonemason and was aiming to become a stone carver but when I discovered a badly damaged marble mosaic floor with massive patches of ruined marble, it changed my path. I was the youngest apprentice, and we were tasked with cutting new marble cubes known as tesserae to restore the damaged areas. The other lads didn’t have long to finish their apprenticeships, so they just botched the repairs. I made the best attempt and then was given the whole job. Bearing in mind that when the floor was installed it was by a 25 strong team from Italy. It took me nearly 3 years in between other work to restore the floors. By then I had cut nearly a million inch x inch cubes from various blocks of different coloured marble. Yes, I would say it is a vocation – that first restoration project meant a couple of years later I got called over to restore a mosaic floor in New York.
With a unique skillset restoring encaustic and geometric tiled floors Steve Sinnott is in demand across the world – but there’s still lots he’d like to achieve. We catch up with him for a chat.
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Steve and Sarah of Heritage Tiling and Restoration.
What surprises people about your job? I think the main surprise is that I can actually restore these fabulous tiled floors. Sadly, WWI and WWII killed off most of the tile making companies and the tilers who installed them.
What’s the most exciting project you’ve ever worked on? I’ve worked on projects that have NDC (non-disclosure clauses) but I can say I trained Māori people over in New Zealand. With regard to more permanent mosaic art, I have been on TV a few times and been involved in very long projects. The most enjoyable was a restoration project in the British Virgin Isles – the client insisted on me going fishing every day so that was great and so was the pay!
Where do you source your materials and are there any products you recommend? I source marble from various companies and quarries across the world and during a project at Ullet Road Church in Liverpool, which is a Grade I listed building, I sourced the correct mix of tiles from three quarries. I use companies in France, Spain and Italy and also use smaller mosaics on sheets from Domus. We have a large stock of original Victorian encaustic (patterned tiles and geometric plain coloured tiles) too.
New tiles are sourced from Craven Dunnill Jackfield in Telford and Winckelmans in France. We clean the tiles using recycled pads made from Coca-Cola bottles that are infused with microscopic diamond dust and we use only water – we won an award for this approach as the water is safe to put back into the system. We often use adhesives that have a high percentage of recycled materials and our sealer is always Dry Treat – it’s the best sealer we have ever used and it can last decades.
I know you have an apprentice, Sarah Dodgson – how is it working together and how do you feel passing skills on? Sarah is my best apprentice ever and is up for a Fellowship this year, I have high hopes for her and I expect her to take over when I either die or retire! I have trained people here and in other countries and some are still working in the field. At 30 years old, my website is the oldest in the world showing historic tile restoration and I have been working in this field for 52 years.
Before and after tile restoration.
You have visited a lot of countries, how does the work vary from country to country? I completed a journeyman degree and I did ad hoc training with people from Morocco using traditional Zellige Islamic styles of pattern and glazes. Tangiers followed the same type of tiling with some more intricate patterns and the Iznik people produced fabulous works of art that can be found all over Turkey but especially in Anatolia. I also worked on some restoration at Anatolia Palace.
Do you have a dream project you’d love to work on? Yes I do, it would be perhaps the culmination of my long decades if I could find a very rich client who wanted to have walls and floors tiled in mosaic, geometric and encaustic tiles in a variety of styles but I am not sure if that will ever happen! I would also like to restore the floors at Westminster Abbey.
Your hometown of Liverpool has the highest ratio of listed buildings outside London – what’s your favourite? St George’s Hall floor is just stunning, I have worked on a small repair on this floor many years ago. The Liverpool Echo did an article about me as did the Financial Times highlighting how hard it is to find people with these skills.
Can you describe a typical day? A typical day starts with loading up the vehicles and, as Sarah and I live a good distance from each other, we have checklists. We carry everything required for a project. Before Christmas we were in Crieff, Scotland, which is a five-hour drive, so we took more kit and materials than we needed, otherwise it would have been a severe problem having to drive back.
Not all jobs are that far away, we usually unpack what is required on the day and then have a brew. If we are working together we don’t always have music on; I always have music on if I’m working alone. Then we plan out our main course of action, which is usually to remove all damaged loose or broken tiles.
All our projects are surveyed sometimes months in advance and we take photos with cameras not mobile phones as we need to enlarge photos on decent-sized monitors as then the work can be evaluated correctly. Often we can come up with a ballpark figure based on the info sheet we send out. If our ballpark is in the client’s budget and the project is straightforward we can arrange a start date, otherwise we carry out a physical survey to make sure the parameters of the project fit in terms of time and money.
Often tiles are required to be made but some may already be in the Craven Dunnill Jackfield’s catalogue or the tiles might need a mould making, that can be very expensive and could mean a wait of months before the tiles are ready. Jobs can take a long time from start to finish.
We always need to juggle time to fit in work without cramming jobs too close together and also restoration work can throw up unforeseen problems. The uncertainty means I never get bored with my work. Plus being able to take very badly damaged floors that would be destined for the skip back to wonderful restored floors that will last another 100 plus years is very satisfying. Are you worried that there is going to be a shortage of people who can do what you do? How can we fix that? It is one of the most annoying things about my work as it is not recognised as a skillset – Google have doll restoration, teddy bear restoration and so on but Google will not add a category for tile restoration. I have tried for years to get this changed.
My skillset is often just ignored and on the Victorian reproduction tiling side, which is quite popular, there is a lack of training and I worry about the quality of work being done. Honestly, it hurts my eyes looking at some of the tiling carried out and I do a number of free second opinions every year.
RHS Chelsea Flower Show was established in 1913 and showcases the best of the best in garden design, planting and more. Attracting a lively crowd of professional gardeners, enthusiasts and celebrities, it's become a highlight of the social calendar for many.
And while it's mainly known for plants, it is also a great showcase for natural stone for landscaping and features. Many of this year's winning gardens featured stone including slate, limestone and sandstone. The show proved to be a platform for emerging talent, too and while most people were focused on the flowers, Stone Specialist editor, Clare Howcutt-Kelly was looking at the stone. Here's just a few of the highlights.
RHS Chelsea Flower Show was established in 1913 and showcases the best of the best in garden design, planting and more. Attracting a lively crowd of professional gardeners, enthusiasts and celebrities, it's become a highlight of the social calendar for many.
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The Bridgerton Garden. Designed by Holly Johnston.
The Bridgerton Garden. Designed by Holly Johnston. Sponsored by Netflix. Sanctuary Garden. This garden featured a dry seam limestone moon gate and walls created by Natural by Design Dry Stone Walls and a bespoke wall fountain in Fletcher bank sandstone designed and carved by Ryan James. This garden was awarded Silver.
The Bridgerton Garden. Designed by Holly Johnston. Sponsored by Netflix. Sanctuary Garden. This garden featured a dry seam limestone moon gate and walls created by Natural by Design Dry Stone Walls and a bespoke wall fountain in Fletcher bank sandstone designed and carved by Ryan James. This garden was awarded Silver.
The Bridgerton Garden. Designed by Holly Johnston. Sponsored by Netflix. Sanctuary Garden. This garden featured a dry seam limestone moon gate and walls created by Natural by Design Dry Stone Walls and a bespoke wall fountain in Fletcher bank sandstone designed and carved by Ryan James. This garden was awarded Silver.
The Bridgerton Garden. Designed by Holly Johnston. Sponsored by Netflix. Sanctuary Garden. This garden featured a dry seam limestone moon gate and walls created by Natural by Design Dry Stone Walls and a bespoke wall fountain in Fletcher bank sandstone designed and carved by Ryan James. This garden was awarded Silver.
Pictured is Ruth Gemmell (left) and Hannah Dodd (right), stars of Netflix's series Bridgerton with designer Holly Johnston (centre).
Muscular Dystrophy UK – Forest Bathing Garden. Designed by Ula Maria. Sponsored by Project Giving Back. In support of Muscular Dystrophy UK. It was awarded Gold.
Terrence Higgins Trust Bridge to 2030 Garden. Designed by Matthew Childs
Terrence Higgins Trust Bridge to 2030 Garden. Designed by Matthew Childs
Terrence Higgins Trust Bridge to 2030 Garden. Designed by Matthew Childs. Sponsored by Project Giving Back. In support of Terrence Higgins Trust. The slate used was supplied by Welsh Slate.
The garden won a Silver Gilt Award.
St James’s Piccadilly: Imagine the World to be Different. Designed by Robert Myers. Sponsored by Project Giving Back. In support of St James’s Piccadilly. The garden included York stone pavings and Portland stone copings and was awarded Gold.
The Freedom from Torture Garden: A Sanctuary for Survivors. Designed by John Warland and Emma O’Connell. Sponsored by Project Giving Back. In support of Freedom from Torture. The garden won a Silver award.
The Octavia Hill Garden by Blue Diamond with the National Trust. Designed by Ann-Marie Powell with the Blue Diamond Team. Sponsored by Blue Diamond Garden Centres and The National Trust. Artisans of Devizes helped Ann-Marie source reclaimed York stone to sit alongside stone reclaimed from National Trust properties. This garden was awarded a Silver Gilt award.
Planet Good Earth. Designed by Betongpark and Urban Organic. Sponsored by Project Giving Back. In support of Planet Good Earth. The skate ramp was made with grey granite supplied by Tony Huntbach and the garden was awarded a Bronze medal.
Sue Ryder Grief Kind Garden. Designed by Katherine Holland. Sponsored by Project Giving Back. In support of Sue Ryder. The garden used Artisan of Devizes' Linton sandstone and Kimmeridge limestone offcuts. The garden was awarded a Gold medal.
The WaterAid Garden. Designed by Tom Massey and Je Ahn
The WaterAid Garden. Designed by Tom Massey and Je Ahn
Complete beginners and those more experienced carvers are invited to attend the Summer Carving School in Norfolk this September.
The Abraxas Academy is run by tutors Nina Bilbey and Charlotte Howarth who are both experienced stone and letter carvers, respectively. This course runs from 2-5 September will be held in Bradmoor Woods in West Acre and costs £590 per person. This fee includes three full days tuition, three nights camping pitch, set pieces of stone for carving and letter carving, use of tools plus refreshments, lunch and dinner. Non-carving companions are also welcome to stay for £160.
Participants can attend both Nina's stone carving course and Charlotte's letter carving course with a third day to concentrate on either skill, depending on preference.
Complete beginners and those more experienced carvers are invited to attend the Summer Carving School in Norfolk this September with Nina Bilbey and Charlotte Howarth
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Stone carving for all abilities at summer carving school
Ross Stewart is UK senior sales manager for Neolith, a world leader in the design and manufacture of sintered stone. With more than ten years in the stone industry, Ross speaks with Stone Specialist about the market, sustainability, and how fabricators can enjoy extensive training with the brand.
If someone is looking to work with Neolith for the first time, what advice would you give to them? We recommend designers and fabricators planning to work with us take part in the extensive training we offer. We also offer a RIBA approved CPD to the A&D community. But the best way to experience Neolith is to arrange a visit to our factory in Castellón, Spain. The Neolith Experience is an exciting journey to Neolith’s core, to its products and how they are crafted, as well as giving a masterclass on the history and values of this family-owned company and its meteoric rise to become a global corporation, present today in more than 100 countries. The visit includes a guided tour around Neolith’s production plant, where the manufacturing process is explained in detail, showing how the natural minerals are transformed into premium sintered architectural surfaces. The tour also includes a visit to the headquarters’ showroom, where the guests can see for themselves the versatility of the surfaces and the difference Neolith makes.
Tell us something that makes the products unique? The major standout qualities of Neolith sintered stone are the combination of design and functionality with high heat resistance, high scratch resistance and near zero porosity of its surfaces, meaning Neolith is very easy to clean and highly resistant to staining. It’s also highly resistant to UV, frost and thaw, which means it can be used in outdoor kitchens, which are becoming increasingly popular in the UK market and being adopted into the offering of a lot of kitchen designers and studios.
Neolith is also synonymous with quality, versatility, and sustainability as well as class, elegance, and style and contributes to the creation of unique spaces and extraordinary experiences featuring sustainable functional design.
Neolith has reached the lowest crystalline silica content range in the market and continues to evolve its sustainability roadmap, leading the change in its industry by minimising the crystalline silica content as technically feasible. In fact, earlier this year at Salone del Mobile in Milan, we presented a new product line without crystalline silica in its formulation.
Ross Stewart is UK senior sales manager for Neolith, a world leader in the design and manufacture of sintered stone. With more than ten years in the stone industry, Ross speaks with Stone Specialist about the market, sustainability, and how fabricators can enjoy extensive training with the brand.
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Neolith Calacatta Gold Isla
What would your dream project be? I would love to see more UK designers specify Neolith in a unique and interesting way that creates a seamless look across a project e.g. from surface, to cladding, to bespoke furniture such as planters. Neolith lends itself to a multitude of applications, the easiest way of explaining where it can be used is to say that if a flat sheet material is suitable for the application, Neolith has a solution. Focusing specifically on the KBB sector we have solutions for kitchen countertops, table and furniture tops, kitchen cabinet door dressing, bathroom countertops and vanities, interior wall cladding, interior and exterior flooring for both indoors and outdoors kitchens, the list is endless. So I’d like to see something one of a kind.
What are your plans for the next 12 months? When I joined Neolith in January 2023, I had a very busy year of restructuring Neolith in the UK to ensure that all partners in the supply chain had the correct support and service. Over this year, the UK industry will continue to see a steep increase in engagement from us – including activations at Salone Del Mobile, Clerkenwell Design Week, and through the specification of our surfaces on a number of large projects as the benefits of working with us become wider spread. Steady and strategic growth, backed by genuine product innovation and global infrastructure, is our plan for the region.
The Women in Natural Stone group (WINS) has announced its next line-up of events. These events provide the opportunity to learn and network with like-minded individuals in a supportive and lively environment. Members represent all areas of the stone industry and the group is led by Becca Cranfield of Athena Stonecare and Tamsin Pickeral of Szerelmey.
Over the next few months, there will be three key events:
26 June 2024 Jessica Morgan-Smith of MPG Ltd will be welcoming guests to a special networking event at QMJ's Hillhead, the largest exhibition for the Quarry, Construction and Recycling industries. WINS ambassador, Jessica Morgan-Smith from MPG Ltd, will be welcoming guests to the QMJ Group Ltd Stand (H1) for coffee and pastries and a chance to connect with other women in the stone industry. The event takes place at 2pm.
9 July 2024 Kelly Fenech of Lovell Stone Group is running an exclusive mine tour at Hartham Park Bath Stone. The event includes an exclusive tour of Hartham Park Bath Stone, the oldest operational Bath Stone underground quarry. Witness the extraction of Hartham Park Bath Stone and explore the historic workings dating back to 1810. The event takes place from 10am-2pm.
6 September 2024 Stella Zambelis and Angelica Zambelis of D Zambelis are hosting a wine tasting at Crouch Ridge Vineyard. It is run by Ross and Samantha whose love of wine and the beautiful Crouch Valley Region inspired them to plant Crouch Ridge Vineyard in 2010.
The Women in Natural Stone group (WINS) has announced its next line-up of events. These events provide the opportunity to learn and network with like-minded individuals in a supportive and lively environment. Members represent all areas of the stone industry and the group is led by Becca Cranfield of Athena Stonecare and Tamsin Pickeral of Szerelmey
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Women in Natural Stone announce latest networking events
Caesarstone has announced the appointment of a new head of customer service for the UK and ROI. Aisling Murrihy has taken on the role and has worked with high-end brands including Hermès, Anya Hindmarch, Agent Provocateur and Selfridges throughout her 20 year career.
Prior to taking on this new appointment, Aisling led customer service teams in the beauty and skincare industry at L’Oreal, Medik8, and Charlotte Tilbury. In addition, her experience includes working with John Lewis Partnership, Apple and sofa company Snug.
Edward Smith, managing director at Caesarstone UK and ROI said: “Aisling’s appointment as Caesarstone UK and ROI’s first Head of Customer Service is a critical step in our strategy to enhance customer satisfaction and service excellence. Over the past few months, we have made significant strides to ensure exceptional customer experiences, including new appointments in our retail, trade and housebuilder divisions, improvements in logistics and operations, and the implementation of new service solutions. Introducing a Head of Customer Service is the latest move in our ongoing dedication to ensuring our customers receive the best possible care.”
Jonathan Stanley, VP of marketing and customer service at Caesarstone UK and ROI added: “I am delighted to welcome Aisling to the team and she brings with her fantastic experience and knowledge. Recent customer feedback confirms that we enjoy a solid reputation for having premium products. Aisling’s arrival will help us ensure that we have a premium service proposition to match”.
Caesarstone has announced the appointment of a new head of customer service for the UK and ROI. Aisling Murrihy has taken on the role and has worked with high-end brands including Hermès, Anya Hindmarch, Agent Provocateur and Selfridges throughout her 20 year career.
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New head of customer service for Caesarstone in the UK and ROI
Inigo Jones Slateworks based in North Wales is up for sale with an asking price of £750,000. The site spans around 2.9 acres and the listing includes a range of traditional workshops and stores, a modern showroom and visitor centre, café (tenanted until 2025) and farm shop, and benefits from extensive visitor car parking.
Founded in 1861, Inigo Jones started off as a business making school writing slates. Over the years, it has diversified to offer products including slate architectural items, memorials and gifts crafted from indigenous Welsh slate.
The site is accessed directly off the A487, around 5 miles from Caernarfon and approximately 1 mile from the settlement of Penygroes. The A487 is the main North-South trunk road and is estimated to have some 9,000-10,000 vehicles a day passing at this point. The property also adjoins Lon Eifion, the section of the National Cycle Network connecting Caernarfon with Bryncir. This significant site offers potential for both a continuation of the current business as well as opportunities for diversification and redevelopment.
In recent years, the slate works has become a tourist and educational attraction where visitors can embark on self-guided tours and enjoy view exhibitions which showcase geological phenomena, historical connections, intricate artistry, calligraphy and letter cutting.
The site is being sold through Daffyd Hardy and more information can be found here.
Inigo Jones Slateworks based in North Wales is up for sale with an asking price of £750,000. The site spans around 2.9 acres and the listing includes a range of traditional workshops and stores, a modern showroom and visitor centre, café (tenanted until 2025) and farm shop, and benefits from extensive visitor car parking.
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Rare opportunity to purchase slate works in North Wales
A book celebrating the beauty of Stamford, Lincolnshire has been created by Gary Curtis of Instagram’s @theoldbuilding account. Captured between 2018-2023, the 184-page hardback features original photography captured by the author.
Once called the “finest stone town in England” by Sir Walter Scott, the book collects images from the historic centre of the much-admired town. Although contemporary, the atmospheric photographs take the reader on an unforgettable journey through Stamford’s fascinating history.
A book celebrating the beauty of Stamford, Lincolnshire has been created by Gary Curtis of Instagram’s @theoldbuilding account. Captured between 2018-2023, the 184-page hardback features original photography captured by the author.
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The book takes the viewer into the heart of the town via Georgian townhouses, original shops, storied pubs and architecturally important features. Such is the town’s period architecture that it has been chosen as the backdrop to iconic films and series from Middlemarch to The Crown, Pride and Prejudice to Bleak House. Earlier this year, it was referred to as "architectural eye candy” by The Sunday Times.
A rare inscribed stone known as an ogham stone has been found in Coventry and is currently being displayed at the ‘Collecting Coventry’ exhibition at Herbert Art Gallery and Museum.
The stone was discovered by Coventry local Graham Senior during lockdown in May 2020, Coventry local Graham Senior while he was gardening. The rock, at around 11cm in length, appeared to have several horizontal incisions along the side. Senior shared his discovery with the Portable Antiquities Scheme, also known as finds.co.uk, who confirmed that the stone was inscribed with ogham, an Early Irish language dating back over 1,600 years.
Graham said: "It caught my eye as I was clearing an overgrown part of the garden. At first, I thought it was some kind of calendar. Finding out later it was an ogham stone and over 1,600 years old was incredible.”
Ogham was an alphabet used in the Early Medieval period primarily for writing in the early Irish language. Before the people of Ireland began using manuscripts made from vellum, they used the ogham writing system to inscribe on materials such as stone. Ogham is highly unusual among world writing systems, consisting solely of parallel lines in groups of 1-5. The stones provide insight into the Irish language before the use of the Latin insular script.
The earliest ogham inscriptions date back to the 4th and 6th centuries AD. Over 400 known ogham stones and fragments have survived, found predominantly in Ireland and on the Welsh coast. The main function of ogham stones is still uncertain. However, some historians believe that they were used for legal purposes in land disputes, as they are often found on or near boundaries of kin and bearing the names of ancestors.
A rare inscribed stone known as an ogham stone has been found in Coventry and is currently being displayed at the ‘Collecting Coventry’ exhibition at Herbert Art Gallery and Museum.
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Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry
The Early Medieval stone is believed to be over 1,600 years old
Teresa Gilmore, Finds Liaison Officer for East Staffordshire & North West Midlands said: “The first contact I had from the finder was via a phone call where he notified me of his prehistoric calendar stone. On receiving a photo of the stone, I got in contact with Katherine Forsyth at University of Glasgow who confirmed that it was definitely ogham and a very interesting find. The script is that of an early style, most likely 5th to 6th Century but possibly as early as 4th Century. The inscription reads: MALDUMCAIL / S / LASS. The first part of the inscription relates to a person's name: Mael Dumcail. The second part is less certain. As to why the object was deposited in Coventry and what it originally functioned as, are still research questions to be answered.”
Curator at Herbert Art Gallery and Museum, Ali Wells commented: “I was delighted when Graham offered to donate his incredible find to the museum. As the Herbert only collects in the city of Coventry boundary it’s rare that someone finds something a nationally significant as the Ogham stone. We might never know how Mael lost the stone and how it ended up in a garden in Coventry, but I hope future research will reveal more about its story. Visitors can see it on display in (upcoming/new exhibition) ‘Collecting Coventry’ until 27 April 2025. There are also 3d replicas of the stone as it was the first object to be scanned by our Media team.”
‘Collecting Coventry’ exhibition at Herbert Art Gallery & Museum runs until 27 April 2025
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Ogham stone found in Coventry to be displayed for first time
