In the wake of last week's Royal Wedding, the Prince of Wales visited Poundbury on Thursday, viewing the latest work of stone-carving students at Middle Farm Way - including one design that's set to become the centrepiece of a major Portland project.

Fresh from last week's wedding of his younger son, Prince Harry, with Meghan Markle, Prince Charles came to the model town to observe students' work as part of the Stone Boss Carving Competition, which sees stone-carving students at Weymouth College's Poundbury site compete to create the most impressive work.

The Prince also viewed a major work designed by former Weymouth College student Sebastian Brooke. The 30-by-20-foot sculpture is destined to be part of a part-underground project called 'The Journey', initiated by the Mass Extinction Memorial Observatory and the Eden Project to celebrate the sea monsters and geological heritage of the Jurassic Coast on the Isle of Portland. The artisan, an alumnus of the stone-carving school, said he had enjoyed explaining his design to the Prince.

"He asked me what was going on with the design, and I explained that it would be placed in a mine," Mr Brooke said, adding that he had also discussed the Eden Project with the Prince.

Student Elliott Miller, who also works part-time as an apprentice at a masonry firm, said the Prince had asked him how he had got into stone-working.

"I told him that I'd done an art degree, and enjoyed working with structure," Mr Miller explained.

Nick Norman, a full-time student at the college, revealed that he had discussed the use of Portland stone with the Prince. "He asked what would happened when it ran out," he said, adding that visits from the Prince were 'always good' for Poundbury. "Local people really come out for it," he said.

Emma Sheridan, a student and part-time apprentice at Chichester Stoneworks, said it was 'nice' to meet the Prince, and show him the cornice she was working from, which came from Buckingham Palace, where her tutor had been a mason.

After touring the stone-carving area, the Prince visited a craft group - Craft and Chat - based at the Dorset Centre for the Creative Arts.

Jean Thorn and Sarah Bramwell, who make knitwear under the brand Wessex Woollens, said they had discussed the wool industry with the Prince. "He was very clued up," Ms Thorn said.

Meanwhile Helen Price, who weaves with traditional Indonesian ikat, said the Prince had asked if she found the craft therapeutic. "I told him that it is when it goes well!" she said.

The Prince of Wales is a regular visitor to Poundbury, which is built according to his architectural and town-planning principles on land owned by the Duchy of Cornwall. He visited the centre after spending the morning at Bridport, and afterwards visited residents and businesses in the model town.

The Prince in Bridport

ROYAL fever came to Bridport when a special guest visited the newly-opened Literary and Scientific Institute (LSI).

Prince Charles was given a guided tour of the freshly-refurbished Grade II-listed LSI yesterday.

Hundreds of people gathered outside to catch a glimpse of the Prince of Wales as he made his way into the former Bridport Library to see the finished £2m restoration project.  

After being greeted by leaders of the county, district and town councils, Prince Charles met with those behind the project, the Bridport Area Development Trust (BADT), and representatives of Crowdfunder, which has taken up residence in the building. 

Following a grand tour, HRH unveiled a plaque and signed the LSI’s guestbook.

Centre manager, Michelle Morgan, said: “It was wonderful. I was talking to him about the work hub and he asked me if it gets busy and whether it is well-used. He said there were a lot of people outside waiting to get in, which I thought was quite funny as they were obviously here to see him. 

“He was lovely – very warm and very engaged. He was very interested in the what everyone had to say."

Bridport's LSI was officially reopened earlier this month after a multimillion pound revamp. The much-loved building had fallen into disrepair after being empty since 1997 and was placed on the national At Risk register in 2002.

By Jennie Mulcahey