Winchester has many treasures but two of note are the Tournai marble font, an ancient polished dark stone font with its carvings of the miracles of St Nicholas, the kindly children’s saint, brought from Tournai in modern Belgium, in the 12th century, and has been in constant use ever since. The second is the Winchester bible which is the largest and perhaps finest of all surviving 12th century English bibles. A single scribe wrote out its entire text in Latin, while artists worked on its exquisitely illuminated capital letters. The glowing colours, including gold and lapis lazuli, are as intense today as 800 years ago.

Meet an Apprentice at Winchester Cathedral:

Conor Bates

“I am currently very busy doing multiple jobs.

The stone masons have some 13th century retrochoir stone tiles which are the oldest and largest tiles to survive in England. I was asked by the stone masons if I could make three boxes for them so they can mortar the medieval tiles in them for display within the Cathedral. Using the joinery skills I have been taught and the help of my mentor Joe Meader (Head Carpenter), I made three boxes from oak, with walnut and ash splines on the corners and a router moulding at the top of the box.”