WELL-WISHERS young and old gathered in early spring sunshine to see the official opening of Weeping Window, the famous poppy sculpture now cascading down the northern wall of Hereford Cathedral in this final year of its UK-wide tour to mark the centenary of the First World War.

Since the tour began in 2015, the iconic installation has appeared in 13 locations, and with the county’s own significant contribution to the war effort over a century ago, Hereford has been chosen as the first of six settings for the ceramic poppies in this last year of the centenary commemorations.

There was a mood of awe and reflection in the Cathedral Close, where the artist Paul Cummins and designer Tom Piper mingled with the crowds. Weeping Window, streaming down the staircase turret of the cathedral, has come from the spectacle which captured the nation’s imagination, ‘Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red’ created by the two men at the Tower of London four years ago.

“This could have gone badly wrong, people might not have liked them,” said Mr Cummins. “It’s always a bit hit and miss.” At the London unveiling, he said everyone “held their breath” until the Queen came to see the poppies. “At that point it changed, it gave the poppies more of a buzz and more of a grounding of what it meant.”

He explained that each location on the tour, organised by 14-18 NOW, was unique. Mr Cummins continued: “People don’t see them as poppies but as people: one flower, one life.” Among all those Herefordshire lives lost during the Great War was Corporal Allan Leonard Lewis, the only county-born recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry.

Later this year, the Dean of Hereford, the Very Rev Michael Tavinor, who attended the opening of Weeping Window, will be making a pilgrimage to the French war cemetery at Vis-en-Artois where his uncle, 19-year-old Arthur Herbert George Tavinor was buried. It is by coincidence that Corporal Lewis, who came from Whitney-on-Wye, lies in the same cemetery so the Dean hopes to pay his respects at his graveside too.

“It is an enormous privilege for us at Hereford Cathedral to be the first venue in this final year of the tour,” said the Dean. “As expected, it looks stunning and we know Weeping Window will be a poignant and inspiring focus for prayer and reflection over the next seven weeks for many from across our city and county and far beyond.”

It is anticipated that more than 2,000 people a day will be coming to see the poppies. The Hereford installation will continue from this week up until April 29, during which time an ‘army’ of at least 100 ‘poppy volunteers’ from the county will be providing help and guidance for visitors.