From 11 February until the beginning of April, you may notice that the Crossing in the cathedral looks slightly different. That's because we are working to conserve the Gilbert Scott Screen.
In 2021, we were advised that work would need to take place to clean, repair and conserve the 150-year-old Screen.
The screen is mainly made from a stone called alabaster, this soft stone is perfect for carving detail. The columns are made from Frosterley marble and another marble, which is thought to be Devonshire marble. The steps are made from black limestone
The restoration work to the screen, urns and walls will be undertaken by Hirst Conservation Ltd, and split into four key areas:
Step One - Scaffolding
First, scaffolding will be built to reach the top of the screen safely.
Step Two - Cleaning
Loose surface dirt will be removed using soft brushes and low-powered vacuum cleaner. More stubborn stains will be cleaned using cotton-wool swabs and a soft liquid cleaner or gentle steam cleaning.
Step Three - Restoring
For the work on the stone, loose mortar will be removed and replaced, with any new areas being ‘toned in’ to match the existing joints.
Step Four - Walls
Finally, attention will be paid to the low walls which have moved slightly from where they should be, so they will be dismantled and reset in their original places.
