THE sun shone brightly and excited school children cheered as they welcomed Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex to Hexham.
The Countess was visiting the historic Abbey and Priory Buildings as part of a day in Northumberland, also taking in Amble and Blyth.
She received a warm welcome from the Mayor of Hexham, Coun. Trevor Cessford and Canon Dagmar Winter.
The Countess was taken on a tour of the Abbey and adjoining buildings, meeting and chatting to children, Abbey staff and volunteers along the way.
The tour ended with a cup of tea and a scone in the Priory's impressive Great Hall, where The Countess was presented with a bottle of Hexham Abbey Mead and asked to sign a visitor book.
Her husband, HRH The Earl of Wessex, had visited the Abbey in 2011 when the Priory redevelopment was being planned.
"I will have to report back and tell my husband the work has been completed and that it has been completed in style," The Countess said.
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