Hereford Cathedral – If it is good enough for Prince Charles

An apprentice stonemason from Hereford Cathedral who carved a roundel for Prince Charles’s home in Highgrove has been recognised for his achievements by The Worshipful Company of Constructors.

Max Cotterill, aged 21, along with his fellow stonemason, Alec Curtis, aged 25, were both recognised for their commitment to their craft at The Master Certificate Awards Ceremony in London last week.

As apprentices, both Max and Alex were mentored by Simon Hudson of Hudson Stonework based at Hereford Cathedral.

Alec, who joined Hudson Stonework Ltd in 2012, was presented with the Journeyman Certificate.

During his apprenticeship he carved a new stone cross for Hereford Cathedral’s Booth Porch, an intricate finial on the corner of a pinnacle on the tower, and since January 2018 has been working on The Palace of Westminster.

Max, an apprentice at Hereford Cathedral since 2017, received the Apprentice Certificate and is currently studying his NVQ Level 2 at Bath College. Max was recently commissioned by the Perpetual Trust to design and carve a roundel for HRH The Prince of Wales as a thank you for hosting a major event for the Prince of Wales’ Trust’s international donors. The roundel has now found its place at Highgrove.

Simon Hudson said: ‘I am very proud to see two of our apprentices being recognised for their commitment to their work.

“Both Alec and Max are skilled young craftsmen and it is wonderful to be a part of their journey into becoming stonemasons.”

Both have learned all aspects of stonemasonry including banker work, intricately designed tracery and letter cutting. On-site projects have included Hereford Cathedral, historic St Bartholomew’s Church in Much Marcle and other churches, preaching crosses and important tombs in the Diocese of Hereford.

Their apprenticeships have been supported with a grant from The Worshipful Company of Constructors, a modern City of London Livery Company for professionals working in the construction industry.

Image Credit: Simon Hudson, Alec Curtis, Mr Terry Withers FRICS & Max Cotterill