Worcester Cathedral restored after 23 years

Once the tower was strengthened the restoration team worked on the rest of the building and roofs

Major restoration work on Worcester Cathedral which was started in 1988 has been completed.

The work began with a public appeal for funds to save the tower which was in danger of collapsing.

Over the past 23 years the entire exterior of the cathedral, including the chapter house and cloisters, has been systematically restored.

A special thanksgiving service will be held to celebrate the end of the work on 25 September at 16:00 BST.

Once the tower was strengthened, the restoration team worked in a clockwise direction around the rest of the building and roofs.

Pass on skills

A spokesman said the cathedral was now in as sound a condition as at any time in its history.

The total cost of the restoration work is more than £10m.

More than £7m was raised by public appeal and more than £3m received in grants from English Heritage, the Wolfson Foundation and other grant-making bodies.

The work was carried out be a small team of stonemasons, employed and based at the cathedral.

There has always been an apprentice on the team in order that skills are passed on to the next generation.

Cathedral restoration project architect Chris Romain said: "The last major restoration was carried out by the Victorians and finished in 1874, so it has been a major task for the stonemasons to ensure the building is ready to face the next hundred years."