Foundry workers and Cathedral grounds staff rubbed shoulders with artists and civic leaders at the celebratory event which marked the completion of almost two years of planning.

 The Cathedral and its precincts have been filled with 76 works of art by 48 sculptors - many of whom are internationally famous artists. The exhibition is in effect a who’s who of contemporary British sculpture - from the “New Bronze Age” sculptors of the 1950s to current household names like Damien Hirst and Antony Gormley.

 “It has been a spectacular achievement,” commented the Very Reverend Nick Bury, Dean of Gloucester, “We knew the exhibition would be extraordinary, but the result has surpassed all our expectations.”

 The curator of the exhibition and director of Gallery Pangolin, Rungwe Kingdon, said:

“We wanted to find contemporary sculptures that would complement the magnificent setting of Gloucester Cathedral, which is a great work of art in itself. We are extremely fortunate in that every sculptor we approached has responded positively. The result is a tremendous endorsement of the sculptural richness of our age and a fitting tribute to the medieval period, justifiably known as the ‘great age of sculpture’ in British history.”