PRINCE Charles paid a visit to Westonbirt Arboretum on Friday November 10 to open the new great oak hall, which will be used as an information centre.

The medieval-style building is made from 100 oak trees and constructed without using screws or nails.

All the joints are secured with oak pegs in the style of an old tithe barn and the glass in the windows is floated in silicone.

"This is a great example of how tradition can be made contemporary in the modern world," said the prince as he unveiled a wooden plaque in the hall.

The prince, who described the building as quintessentially English, has shown great interest in the hall since the plans were drawn up 18 months ago.

He said: "I am enormously impressed and delighted to see the fruits of such care and craftsmanship.

"This is very much after my own heart. It is timeless in the essence of good design."

Although most of the oak trees used came from the arboretum, about 30 more were donated by local landowners.

Prince Charles said: "I am only sorry my own trees were not good enough you'll have to wait another 150 years for me to donate one.

"Well, someone on my behalf will do it unless of course I have been genetically modified."

The hall grew from an original idea of somewhere to store muddy boots and boil a kettle.

It cost £330,000 to build and the money was raised by the Friends of Westonbirt, the Gloucester Environment Trust and various sponsorships and grants.

It was designed by Wiltshire architects Roderick James and Rhys Brookes from the Carpenter Oak and Woodland firm at Chippenham.

It can seat about 100 people and the arboretum hopes to use it as a launch pad for lectures by people such as David Bellamy and David Attenborough. It can can also be used for corporate events and weddings.