The level of public interest and criticism which consequently developed however, did much to highlight the serious cultural implications of the situation and after lengthy negotiations with the Government through the National Heritage Memorial fund, an agreement was reached by which the Dean and Chapter were able to transfer the collection to the Mappa Mundi Trust.

At the same time, the Trust was endowed with £2 million from the N.H.M.F to conserve and display to the public, the treasures thus transferred to them.  A further gift of £1 million by Mr. John Paul Getty Jr. made it possible to begin construction of the new purpose built environment needed to house these treasures.

In 1994, when All Saints Church in Hereford sought permission to sell its parochial chained library to raise funds for the restoration of the fabric, a group of well-wishers, together with further help from the N.H.M.F., secured this collection also for inclusion in the new exhibition at the Cathedral.

By the end of April 1996, construction work on the new Library Building had been completed and its official opening by H.R.H. Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh on 3 May, marked the end of a long and arduous struggle to ensure that the  treasures contained within it would be preserved forever in their rightful home - Hereford