Alan Spittle, one of our stonemasons at Salisbury Cathedral, has won the Improver Mason category in the prestigious Duke of Gloucester Awards 2009, sponsored by The Worshipful Company of Masons. Alan is part of a highly specialist team working on the Cathedral’s long-term major repair programme. Peter Edds, Head of Buildings and Estate at Salisbury Cathedral is very proud of Alan’s achievement. The award recognises the “continuing improvement in all aspects of the craft of stonemasonry by newly qualified masons and aims to encourage more masons to seek ways of enhancing their work”. Alan received his award from the Duke of Gloucester at Mercers Hall in the City of London. There are ten masons and one apprentice mason working full time within the Works Department, which proudly believes it was originally founded to build the Cathedral in 1220 and that it has probably existed in some form or other for over the 750 years.

For many years the Friends have been delighted to support the conservation of monuments. At an Executive Council Meeting in January 2009 it was reported that due to financial constraints, the monument conservation within the Major Repair Project was being extended and reprogrammed to cover three years, as the current plan would see finances for monument conservation run out in eighteen months. This re-alignment would ensure that our own skilled conservators could continue their important work. So providing funds up to £15,000 per year over a three-year period has been agreed through Council. Part of the work will include essential repairs to three named wall monuments. All three monuments are cracked in places and are showing signs of movement away from the wall; in this unstable state, care and attention is required as quickly as possible. In each case, the work to be carried out will involve dismantling the monuments and making a photographic record of the dismantled stonework and fixings. The Cathedral Archaeologist may also wish to look at the stone and the wall. After the repairs have been made, and before being returned to their fixings, the surfaces will also be lightly cleaned. One of the monuments is on the South Transept
east wall, to Lieutenant William Fisher of the Bengal Lancers d.1845; the movement seems to be caused by inadequate fixings or rebate into the wall. The problem is similar with the monument on the South Transept west wall to Charles Ekins of the Bengal Cavalry, who fell at the Battle of Chilianwallah; the most likely cause of the movement is rusting iron fixings, although the surveyor reports that copper fixings were typically used on Osmond designed monuments. On the South nave aisle wall is a colourful monument to Sir Henry Hyde d.1650; movement to this monument is probably due to rusting iron clamps, and these need to be replaced with steel fixings. Following completion, records are meticulously kept to provide information to the Cathedral Architect about the schedule of work carried out, the methods and materials used, and what was discovered.

The Works Department has two apprentices who are over half way through their 4-year apprenticeship. Apprentice Mason Andrew Kirby, shown opposite working on a stone arch in the Early English Gothic style as part of the ongoing restoration project, has recently made a special pierced tracery trefoil panel for HRH The Prince of Wales. Prince Charles is Patron of the Cathedral Works Fellowship, and apprentice masons from all over the UK donate crafted stone pieces for ‘a wall of gifts’ at Highgrove. In the course of his apprenticeship, Andrew has to draw his designs, make the templates, and produce cutting schedules as part of the process of training.

Apprentice Glazier, Vicky Burton, works on the repairs to one of the Cathedral’s windows. The Glazing Department uses traditional skills to design, make, repair and conserve stained glass and leaded lights, not only for Salisbury Cathedral but also for other organisations, individuals, churches and other
Cathedrals.

Peter Edds, the Head of Buildings and Estate, reports that proposals regarding the Te Deum altar frontal are yet to be finalised. Discussions regarding the proposed levels of restoration and conservation are taking place and a decision is soon to be made by the Cathedrals Fabric Commission, but it is hoped that it will be possible to clean, repair, and re-secure jewels on the piece before reconstruction on a new
stretcher.

Finally, I’m delighted to say that at an awards evening recently the Cathedral’s new lighting received a coveted Salisbury Civic Society Conservation Award in recognition of ‘outstanding work to an existing building’, an accolade we can all feel proud of.

click on image for larger picture

Monument to Lt William Fisher d. 1845	Monument to Charles Ekins d. 1849	Monument to Sir Henry Hyde d. 1650	Apprentice Mason Andrew Kirby	Templates	Templates

back to top