New exhibit to explore lost treasures of cathedral

An inventory of objects were taken from Lincoln Cathedral in 1536 during the English Reformation

An exhibition inspired by objects taken from Lincoln Cathedral during the English Reformation is to open next month.

A Right Royal Heist will open at the cathedral on 3 May as part of Lincoln's Festival of History.

In 1536, items including jewels and vestments were removed from Lincoln Cathedral as part of the destruction of the monasteries after Henry VIII declared that he, not the Pope, was head of the Church of England.

Local artists are bringing the items back to life at the exhibition through digital illustration, ceramics, painting and textiles.

The artwork depicts items lost from Lincoln Cathedral

The register and inventory of all jewels, vestments and other ornaments was written by cathedral treasurer Henry Lytherland and has survived for more than 400 years, Lincoln Cathedral said.

Work from artists Mel Langton, Fiona Hodges, Lisa Tank and Hannah Cawthorne from Indigo Crow Gallery and costume designer Helen Symonds will be on display in the Exhibition Gallery until the end of July.

Ms Langton and Ms Hodges said they had been inspired by Henry VIII and their pieces focused on him, depicting a monstrous giant removing the objects and a ceramic sculpture showing him enthroned as the ultimate magpie, surrounded by artefacts.

Costume designer Ms Symonds said her hand-crafted headpiece was inspired by the Dean's Eye window at the cathedral.

"It pays tribute to the local people who protected the glass during times of conflict, as well as to the countless creatives and artisans who lost their work during the raids under Henry VIII," she said.

'Really exciting'

Fern Dawson, curator at Lincoln Cathedral, said: "When the project was first developed, I really wanted to leave the options open for the artists involved to bring their own personality and material skills to express how the document inspired them.

"Bringing an historic document to life in this way has been really exciting and the ideas it has inspired are fantastic – we can wait for the exhibition to open and for everyone to see these new works."

Admission to the exhibition is included in the cathedral entrance fee.

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