T-Rex invades the Cloisters

Lumbering in the through the Cathedral’s West door, a 2-metre high, 4-metre long T-Rex called Jam appeared ahead of next month’s Jurassic Weekend during which shows, stalls and experiences will explore the periods when the Cathedral stone was formed and dinosaurs roamed the earth.

The giant T-Rex puppet worn by Sam Bryan from the Teach Rex team, who are running a number of events over the Jurassic Weekend, paused by the font for one surprised visitor to scratch him under the chin and made his way down the Nave followed by intrigued German and American tourists and Cathedral Guides.

One young dinosaur fan waved his own small model at the beast and hazarded a roar, which Jam cheerily and rather loudly returned.

The Cathedral’s Jurassic Weekend, three days of STEM activities taking place over the October half-term (Saturday October 26 – Monday 28 October), includes workshops, trails and crafting as well as an encounter with a Tyrannosaurus Rex, the two-legged carnivorous dinosaur with powerful jaws and small claw-like front legs.

The visiting baby dinosaur, which is 2 metres high and 4 metres from its nose to the tip of its tail, stars in a 45-minute Teach Rex dinosaur show that takes children through the evolution of the dinosaur, sharing the latest scientific thinking about how these huge beasts moved (not much faster than man), hunted (in packs like wolves), where they originated from (T-Rex is related to birds not reptiles) and T-Rex intelligence (brighter than at first thought).

The brainchild of 2 former primary school teachers, Sam Bryan and Joseph Parsonage, the show takes place in the Nave on Saturday 26 October at 6.45pm and 8pm, Sunday 27 October at 6pm and Monday 28 October at 6.45pm.

Tickets are £5 for children/adults (children under 3 free if they can sit on an adult’s lap) and can be booked here.