Stone Carving Festival – Gloucester Cathedral

Gloucester Cathedral will host its first ever Stone Carving Festival this August bank holiday: a celebration of craft and skill, where visitors can enjoy seeing heritage in action.

Gloucester Cathedral to host Stone Carving Festival this August Bank Holiday

Inspired by the theme of Peace and Remembrance to mark this 80th anniversary year of VE Day, the three-day event will see stonemasons of all levels come together on Gloucester Cathedral Green to chisel, carve and shape creations reflecting this theme, providing an opportunity for people to see live carving by master craftspeople.

And the stones carved during the event – along with 12 historic stones that once formed part of the Cathedral itself – will be auctioned online with all proceeds from the festival going to the Cathedral’s East Cloister Project, which aims to protect and conserve the 14th-century medieval Cloister for future generations.

This is a rare chance to own a unique piece of living history while supporting vital conservation work and details on how to bid will be announced soon.

Paul Synan, Senior Stonemason said:

“The Stone Carving Festival is a fantastic opportunity to show people the skill and craftsmanship that goes into carving stone at Gloucester Cathedral.

We are looking forward to welcoming carvers from around the country to try their hand at creating something truly special. It’s an extra privilege to know their work will be sold at auction at the end of the event.”

Alongside demonstrations from the Cathedral’s own masons, there will be hands-on activities suitable for all ages and refreshment tents.

The Cathedral is grateful to the Cathedrals Workshop Fellowship (CWF), the Worshipful Company of Masons and the Friends of Gloucester Cathedral for their generous support of this event.

Find out more on the Gloucester Cathedral website here.