Leicester Cathedral Revealed

Leicester Cathedral is being restored and renewed so that it can be its very best as a place of worship, heritage, pilgrimage, hospitality, learning, sanctuary and celebration. The work is necessary because the cathedral spaces are inflexible and inadequate for current and future use. The infrastructure - lighting, heating and decorations – needs to be upgraded. And the tenfold increase in visitors, who come to see the tomb of King Richard III, has made the need more urgent. That is why it has been decided not only to restore the Cathedral but to transform it.

Leicester Cathedral Revealed is the £12.7m project to put the building back into good order, create more space for learning, better manage visitor flow and improve the individual experience of being within the Cathedral.

For this, the cathedral has taken inspiration from its forebears in the Victorian and Arts & Crafts periods, who must have considered similar questions a hundred or so years ago and come to solutions that were right for their time.

The word ‘revealed’ has been chosen as the name for the project. It speaks of the industrial prosperity of the Victorian period - which the Cathedral reveals as a living story told in stone, fabric and glass. It tells of the pioneering spirit of reform - applauded by the church and exemplified by the Arts & Crafts movement. And it celebrates the convening power of the Cathedral - to reveal the Christian message and to promote compassion and peace in a city and county where all religions are respected.

Decant and storage operation completed

This complex operation was carried out in the first two weeks of January, thanks to the hard work and support of the verger team and volunteers, together with a range of experts and specialist contractors.

Key elements of the operation included the following:

The assemblage of furniture known as the Archdeacon’s Court that was at the east end of the Great South Aisle has been relocated by Midland Stone Masonry to the Church of St Michael, Edmonthorpe, under a loan agreement with The Churches Conservation Trust.

Helpful advice and assistance was provided by Philip Warren and colleagues from the Conservation and Collections Team at Leicestershire County Council, with packing and storage of fragile and precious items, including altar frontals, banners and memorial books.

Colonel Anthony Swallow Ret. from the Royal Leicestershire Regiment supervised the safe removal of the regimental standards from St George's Chapel. The Regiment are arranging for skilled and sensitive cleaning and stabilisation work on the standards, finials and poles, and will safely store them during building works.

The Richard III Funeral Pall and Crown display cabinet has been moved by AM System Ltd to the King Richard III Visitor Centre and installed close to the King’s original burial site, alongside a short video display of the tomb.

AM System also took down the two large wall paintings in the north transept and securely packed them for onsite storage.

Local firm Stokes Removals managed the decant and storage of loose furniture, fittings and other items.

The Cathedral Organ has been fully covered by specialist firm Harrison & Harrison to protect it from dust and debris during building works.

With the Cathedral now clear, main contractor Messenger are undertaking general surveys, temporary removal of timber wall panels and the screen to St George’s Chapel, and comprehensive protection works to memorials and key features.

The next stage is professional asbestos removal from heating ducts and other identified areas.

Click here for further information on the project.

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