Prince Charles was among old friends when he visited Abergavenny.

He had visited the town in 2000 for the opening of St Mary’s Priory Church’s community facility, and returned to the site yesterday to open a new interactive learning centre in the town's 900-year-old tithe barn which depicts 1,000 years of history in the town.

Parishioners helped fund the £2 million project which teaches school children what life was like 900 years ago.

Around 360 people packed into the church for an hour-long service, which included a reading by the Bishop of Monmouth, Right Reverend Dominic Walker. Those present included Monmouth AM Nick Ramsay and MP David Davies.

Prince Charles met people involved in the tithe barn project including second world war veteran Richard Yardley, 93, of Chapel Orchard, Abergavenny, a former Japanese prisoner of war.

He raised £17,000 in three weeks to fund 24 trees outside the tithe barn which local people dedicated to loved ones.

This was the fourth time Mr Yardley had met the prince. He said: "I told him that I had served in Malaya and worked on the Burma railway.

"I also talked about my life in Thailand and in Japan as a prisoner of war before I was released."

St Mary’s Priory Centre manager Hazel Buchanan said: "I told him we have a yoga class and asked if he wanted to come. He said he may need it after today.

"He also asked if we do Tai Chi before showing me one of the moves."

Charles took a particular interest in the Abergavenny tapestry on display in the barn - a piece of art which was created by 60 volunteers over eight years.

Sheila Bevan, 77, of Belmont Close, Abergavenny, played a lead role in the project. She said: "He seemed really pleased that we'd had money from the Prince's Trust to help with it."

One pupil from each of the 11 primary schools in the Abergavenny area was selected to meet the prince. They dressed up as monks and Tudors.

Louise Morgan, 10, of Cantref Primary School, said: "We told him about the clothes we were wearing and items from that time. I was really excited to meet him."

Toby Sansom, 11, of Lllantilio Pertholey Church in Wales School, showed the prince how to make Tudor-style butter.

Chloe Rogers, 10, of Goytre Fawr Primary School, said: "I’ve been excited all week and was screaming when they told me I was going to meet him."

Prince Charles spent an hour at the tithe barn before unveiling a plaque outside commemorating its opening.

Around 100 people had waited on Monk Street to catch a glimpse of him.

While aides ushered Prince Charles towards a waiting car, he walked off to meet those who had waited patiently for up to three hours.

Suzanne Paton, 34, of Dan-y-Bryn, Gilwern had her camera phone primed to take a photo of the prince.

She said: "He smiled and told me to turn it off. He said he’d break it I took a photo of him."