Turrets

The repair and restoration of an old building never ends.  Its time scale is measured in centuries rather than years.

Lincoln Cathedral, so rich in sculpture, carved woodwork and medieval glass, is especially vulnerable to the effects of hard winters and atmospheric pollution.  Masonry is constantly subject to erosion and may become a public hazard unless repaired; bulging glass has to be removed, cleaned and refitted; rotten timbers must be replaced; the lead on over three acres of steeply pitched roofs must be removed, re-cast and refitted securely to prevent slipping and buckling.  Delay in dealing with such constant needs may cause irretrievable damage, compounding both structural and financial problems.

His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales has accepted the Cathedral’s invitation to become Patron of the Fabric Fund for five years from November 2011

The Fabric Fund was set up many years ago to raise money to meet the cost of fabric repairs. We hope that the patronage of the Prince of Wales will underline the significance both of the building and the task we face.

The latest project is to restore the two West Front Turrets

Their purpose was partially decorative: they stand like full stops at either end of the great front.  In part it was severely practical, since they contained staircases from which various rooms and passage ways could be reached.  Now they need urgent restoration, as the weather erodes their delicate carvings. This work will cost £2.5 million and take 5 years to complete.

The Fabric Fund

To achieve this complex and expensive phase in the works programme, a special fundraising campaign has been launched and the support from individuals and organisations is being sought.  The Cathedral has an overall annual budget of £3 million, one half of which is spent on the fabric. The budget is met in part from investments held by the Fabric Fund and in part from fundraising and income from visitors, but there remains a gap to be filled. It is to address this that our appeal for community support and corporate sponsorship is directed.

The Task

Only a systematic programme of inspection and repair can contain the pace of decay so that predictable deterioration does not slide into a crisis.  The work on the building is done by an in-house team of expert craftsmen and women with additional support from local contractors.  The Cathedral is built of traditional, natural materials – stone, oak, lead – by craftsmen and women using skills that are becoming increasingly rare in an age of synthetics.

The Future

If the building is to be preserved, young trainees must be recruited and trained in the Cathedral workshops.  Given this training, together with reasonable job prospects, the modern craftsperson can prove themselves at least the equal of his or her predecessor.  The Cathedral, together with the County Council and Heritage Lottery Fund, is supporting a Skills for the Future programme.  To meet the challenge, work that will cost an estimated £16 million over the next decade must be undertaken.

 What now?

You can support the Fabric Fund and the Turrets’ Appeal in a number of different ways from Adopting a Stone, to becoming a Member of the Cathedral to Business Sponsorship. If you would like to help, please telephone the Fund Development Office on 01522 561614 or e-mail Fundraising@lincolncathedral.com