IT seemed only fitting that the Countess of Wessex was to see the finished result of Hexham Abbey’s priory buildings five years after her husband saw plans for the development.

In 2011, Prince Edward inspected plans for the renovation and conversion of the former monastic buildings to form a range of hospitality, display and meeting facilities.

Arriving by helicopter on Wednesday afternoon, the Countess was welcomed by children from Sele First School and greeted by the Mayor of Hexham, Coun. Trevor Cessford, and the Rector of Hexham, Canon Dagmar Winter.

Dressed in a chic cream suit and nude wedges, the Countess looked elegant as she stopped to talk to the children, asking them questions and even giving one a fist-bump.

On entering the Abbey, the Countess met Dr Tom Kelsey, chairman of the Abbey’s conservation group.

Dr Kelsey showed her the Frith Stool - thought to date back to the days of St Wilfrid in the seventh century –- in the old choir stalls and took her down to the crypt.

She continued into the priory buildings, which have been reunited with the Abbey for the first time since the reign of Henry VIII.

Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, various grant-making trusts and the community, the priory buildings reopened in 2014 to house the interactive Big Story exhibition and the refectory cafe, along with a function suite for wedding receptions and events, community meeting and education spaces, and office space for the Abbey team.

The Countess met education and community officer Toni Bush and children dressed as St Etheldreda and St Wilfrid. At Prior’s Hall, she met children taking part in art workshops.

The tour ended with tea and scones served in the Great Hall and refectory manager Sally Oliver presented the Countess with a bottle of Hexham Abbey Mead.

The Rt Rev. Graham Usher, Bishop of Dudley and former Rector of Hexham, who initiated the priory buildings project, was back in town for the royal visit.

He said: “I am absolutely delighted to see the results of the hard work getting the priory together being shown here.”

Canon Winter said: “The visit is something to celebrate for the whole town as well as the Abbey; I hope she will take away a sense of the welcome in the name of Jesus Christ who comes here.”

As she signed a visitor book, the Countess said: “I will have to report back to my husband that the work has been completed in style.”

Wendy Handley, from Stocksfield, was among the large crowd gathered outside the Abbey. She said: “I am welling up. It’s so lovely.

“It’s been a really nice atmosphere and was lovely to see the children getting so excited.”

For more pictures of the visit, go to the Photos section on the Hexham Courant website.