Conservation work has been carried out on the world famous Jesse figure at St Mary's Priory Church in Abergavenny. This extraordinary larger-than-life figure once formed the base of an intricate and elaborate construction, which depicted the lineage of Jesus Christ from Jesse, the father of King David. So called 'Jesse figures' and 'Jesse trees' are not uncommon in stone and stained glass, but this is the only one in wood to be found in the United Kingdom – and probably the world. In the BBC series A History of British Art, Andrew Graham Dixon describes it as 'the only great wooden figure to survive the wreckage of the British Cultural Revolution'. Vicar of Abergavenny Rev'd Mark Soady said, "We do not know who carved it, but we do know that it retains its extraordinary command of our attention and fascination. "Carved from one solid piece of oak, probably in the 15th Century, it was originally highly coloured and depicted all the Davidic kings and descendants, surmounted by the figures of Mary and the Child, and Christ in glory. "Latest thought estimates the height of the 'tree' growing from Jesse's side to have been between 25ft and 30ft." The intricate conservation work was undertaken over three days last week by Monmouthshire-based conservator Valentine Walsh.