Restoration's on schedule

Last week the restoration workmen reached the four-month mark and now have nine-months left in their mission to rescue the Cathedral's walls from the ravages of time. Shrouded under a cobweb of contruction netting and tarpaulines, the Cathedral is surrounded by a skeleton of scaffolding, some of the country's top stonemasons and restorers are working flat out to claw back the stonework from Father Time.

Both 'lost' doorways are on the north side of the building - which is the side furthest away from the City's Walls. One is the former north entrance, which has been turned into a window with the lower section filled in, while the other is the former entrance into a robing room which is now used as the baptistry, the top half of which is a memorial window to Cecil Frances Alexander.

"We discovered the doorways by removing the old plaster. The north aisle door was the original entrance to the Cathedral, next to the second buttress, and inside the Cathedral you can see elements of that as well and it led into the main body of the church," said Cathedral guide Ian Bartlett.

"Where you have the window in memory of Mrs Alexander there was another door which led into the old choir robing room, so it is interesting to have these facts confirmed: That this was the entrance to the church. We have old plans showing both of these doors," Ian said, adding: "We are managing very well so far, and in terms of our worship we have contained services in the South Aisle. Everything is going well."

"Everyone is looking forward to getting their restored Cathedral back and getting back into the Nave again. We hope to be back in the main body of the church again in September."

As the restoration takes place photographs are being taken and all information relating to the processes involved and any 'finds' are being recorded for posterity and will be included on the Cathedral website. Currently six sets of stained glass window lights have gone for repair.

On an inspection tour of the outside of the building the resotration work is visble not least in the way that the old mortar has been stripped out, while sandstone blocks in the buttressing have been replaced.

Stone cleansing to restore the original colour of the stonework has also begun.

Professional stonemason Neil McCann is providing expert skill on the restoration, while McMonagle Stone from Mountcharles is working exclusively on repairing the sandstone that surrounds the ancient stained glass windows. The main contractors for the work are Woodvale Construction, the foreman of which, Frank McCarney, said the team were mostly involved in stone work, electrical and plumbing and there are 20 men currently on site working on the building.

Site Engineer Brian Kelly said the Woodvale team were delighted to work on such an historic building, and reported that the team was on schedule - helped in no small way by the fair weather of late. The next step is to point the stonework with lime mortar whch will allow the building to ‘breathe’. This will stop the problem with damp inside and will leave the church feeling warmer.

“We are loving or work on the Cathedral. The team has worked on many religious buildings in the past, but we were delighted to have won the Cathedral contract and are enjoying being part of the restoration process on this historic building,” he said.