Tributes to legendary actor Sir Patrick Stewart have been pouring in over the past 48 hours following his death at the age of 86.
Sir Patrick - best known for his roles in Star Trek and X-Men - passed away at his home in Los Angeles on Wednesday (October 28) after a “brief and poignant journey” with Alzheimer's and dementia.
Knighted in 2010 by Queen Elizabeth II for his contributions to drama, Sir Patrick will be fondly remembered for his roles as Professor Charles Xavier in multiple X-Men films and Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek.
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Away from the big screen, he was known for being generous with his time and supported many different charities and community projects.
In October 2009, then aged 69, Sir Patrick was invited to the John Clare Cottage in Helpston to open a new weather station.
During his visit to the village, the actor took time to meet local schoolchildren and hold a question and answer session.
The Clare Cottage site, which opened in July 2009, is located at the former home of poet John Clare, having been restored with period-appropriate domestic artifacts to show 19th-century rural life.
In the gallery below we’ve taken a look back at Sir Patrick’s visit to the John Clare Cottage in October 2009.
5. Sir Patrick Stewart’s visit to the John Clare Cottage in 2009
Sir Patrick Stewart and MP Barry Sheerman. Photo: PT
6. Sir Patrick Stewart’s visit to the John Clare Cottage in 2009
The Clare Cottage site, which opened in July 2009 was partly funded by a Heritage Lottery award of £1.5m. Photo: PT
7. Sir Patrick Stewart’s visit to the John Clare Cottage in 2009
The weather station provides educational and environmental learning facilities for local schools and the community. Photo: PT
8. Sir Patrick Stewart’s visit to the John Clare Cottage in 2009
Sir Patrick posing for the cameras. Photo: PT