Students create pie fit for a king

A group of National Star students have helped the City of Gloucester create a special pie fit for a King.

Working with The Folk in Gloucester, Cinderhill Farm in St Briavels and Gloucester City Council, the students helped to make a “Lamprey Pie” for King Charles III.

In a tradition that dates back to the 12th century, Gloucester presented the pie to His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire Mr Edward Gillespie to mark King Charles III’s coronation.

The city used to provide the monarch with a pie every Christmas. That tradition stopped in 1836, partly due to lampreys being an endangered species in the UK. Now the city only sends pies to the monarch on special occasions.

Today’s pie is based on the traditional Gloucester Pie, usually made with pork or lamb and for the coronation it will have a pork and apple filling with eels represented in the pastry decorations.

The students were thrilled when they were asked by The Folk to be part of this historical project. They made decorations for the royal pie and baked cakes for the civic reception when the cake was presented to the Lord Lieutenant.

Councillor Richard Cook, Leader of Gloucester City Council, said: ‘We are delighted to be working with National Star, local partners and suppliers to celebrate this historic occasion with this time-honoured tradition.’

The Folk of Gloucester is the former Gloucester Folk Museum at the bottom of Westgate Street in the heart of the city. When it closed as a museum in 2018 the building’s ownership transferred to Gloucester Historic Buildings/Gloucester Civic Trust.