Stonemasonry festival

This weekend Winchester Cathedral hosted a stonemasonry festival.  This consisted of a very large marquee in the Inner Close where about 20 stonemasons were busy making individual works.  I think there was a competition for the best piece and everything that was made was up for auction, though I didn't stay for that bit. 

Each stand had the mason's name on it and where they worked.  I counted people from the cathedrals at Exeter, Gloucester, Salisbury, Winchester, Canterbury and Lincoln, as well as other places.  Only one person wasn't labelled, so I asked her why not.  It transpired she wasn't a stonemason at all, just trying it out.  Well all I can say is that she looked pretty proficient.  She must have been an art student, I guess.  Later I saw her sitting on the damp ground making a very nice drawing.

I also took shots of 'real' masons, but the dampness and the marquee combined made the light a bit tricky.  So this was the one I liked best.

Happy Sunday evening  xx