Salisbury Cathedral hosts Erlestoke inmates' Magna Carta art

Magna Carta-inspired art created by inmates from Erlestoke prison in Wiltshire has gone on display at Salisbury Cathedral.

The church is home to one of four original copies of the 800-year-old historic charter.

Signed by King John in 1215, the document is seen as the foundation of constitutional law in England.

The work, called Alternative Perspective, is a montage inspired by the original medieval cathedral tiles.

Workshops were held at the prison to explore Magna Carta themes of justice, law and power.

Some 26 inmates then made sketches before turning them into individual terracotta tiles.

Jacquiline Creswell, Salisbury Cathedral Curator said the prisoners have made "some thoughtful and exciting work".

"Magna Carta is all about human rights and freedom so it was interesting to get their perspective as their freedom has been curtailed," said Mrs Crewell.

As well as the tile montage, the prisoners' sketchbooks are being exhibited in the cloisters, showing how their ideas developed.

Elizabeth Williams, learning and skills manager at Erlestoke, said the work has "far broader implications" beyond the project itself.

"We managed to get the prisoners to really think about issues such as human rights and wrongs - and the justice system," she said.

"The feedback we have got has been powerful and the men have engaged wholeheartedly."

As a result of the project, HMP Erlestoke is looking for a pottery teacher.