page_title: The Holgate Academy
section_title: Khatchkar and twinning
hierarchical_section_title: The Holgate Academy / Khatchkar and twinning
caption_attribution_description: Red stone with green lichen and moss A plaque above this stone cross on the side wall of St mary Magdelene Church in Hucknall. The plaque on the side says: The Khachkar (Armenian stone cross) was presented to Holgate School in 1991 in recognition of the work undertaken by Britain following the devastating earthquake in Armenia of 1988. The Lord Byron School in w:Guimri in the Republic of Armenia was built to replace one of the destroyed schools and subsequently a link was formed between this new school and the Holgate School Hucknall. The Khachkar is placed here in memory of Father Fred Green. On the side a brass plaque reads To the British People from THE CHILDREN OF LENINAKAN. As a sign of gratitude. Benevolent Union For Children's Sake Nov 5th 1991
context_page_description: The Holgate Academy is a coeducational secondary school and sixth form with academy status, located in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, England, a former mining community north of Nottingham.
  The school's sixth form is part of a collaboration of both the secondary schools in Hucknall, together with Queen Elizabeth's Academy, Mansfield. A carved stone cross was placed in the school by the Armenian government as a thank you for the Lord Byron School which was built in Leninakan in Armenia following their 1988 earthquake. The carving was replaced in 2004.
context_section_description: The school is unusual in having a Khatchkar in its grounds. A Khatchkar is a traditional carved cross which has been used in Armenia since the thirteenth century. The original Khatchkar was placed in the school by the Armenian government in thanks for the Lord Byron School which was built in Leninakan (now Gyumri) in Armenia following their 1988 earthquake at Spitak and opened by Margaret Thatcher. There was a good partnership between the schools largely due to the influence of the rector, Fred Green, from the local St Mary Magdalene church where Lord Byron is buried. The initial reason for the partnership arose because of Lord Byron. Byron was a famous British poet who had shown an affection for Armenian culture when he was a guest of the Mekhitarist Order in Saint Lazarus Island, Venice. The original Khatchkar was installed on 5 November 1991 in a ceremony attended by Kenneth Clarke the then Minister for education. The original stone was irretrievably damaged by vandals in 2000. The Armenian government not only replaced it but also caused the original to be erected at the parish church. The new stone by the original stonemason was installed in 2004 in memory of the rector and his belief that the damage should be seen as a strengthening of faith. It was thought that the original stone may have been damaged by football fans who confused Armenia with Albania.
caption: The original Khatchkar that was presented to the school which is now attached to the church in Hucknall.
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