Leominster brought history to life with a glorious pageant. How We Built the Priory was a hugely ambitious production, which drew on a wealth of local talent.

People from all walks of life rallied to the cause when the Friends of Leominster Priory launched 'Operation Leofric', named after the husband of Lady Godiva who founded the second of three monastic settlements on the site.

This project, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and other sponsors, is aimed at raising the profile of the Priory to boost income for its long-term upkeep.

The drama was a key step. Local actor and playwright Ian Sorley tapped into Leominster's rich seam of history and legend to write and produce the show. Leominster composer Andrew Morris, the musical director, wrote special pieces and arranged medieval originals for it.

Young and old took parts as monks, nobles, peasants and soldiers - an ad hoc cast who had not worked together before, including many with little or no experience.

An exception was a group from the Bromyard Rural Theatre Company who enacted Leomin-ster's most famous legend, the tale of Edfride and the Lion, which set the scene for the conversion to Christianity at Leominster of the pagan King Merewald.

To Leominster's untried troupe fell the task of acting out the main plot. King Henry I orders the building of Leominster Priory but runs into trouble with the locals who don't want it to replace their crumbling old Saxon minster.

Chris Barltrop (the king) has spent much of his life as a circus ringmaster and brought his "big top" skills to the role. Feisty female characters were well played by Sally Ann Bateman, Angela Davies , Jan Williams and Vicki Goodson.

A number of young performers injected great vitality into the production, particularly teenagers Kieran Morris and Seamus Bradford who staged a quarter-staff dual in the Norman nave as the peasants jeered and roared.