Cathedral’s stained glass window back to its former glory

Challenging restoration cost £2.5m ‘We never imagined that the stone auction would raise the money that it did’

Light pours through the newlyrestored Great South Window at Canterbury Cathedral, showcasing the medieval stained glass in all its glory.

It is now free of scaffolding for the first time in seven years following a complex £2.5 million restoration project.

Some of the money raised towards the project came from the sale of old stone forming the surround for the 55ft high window, which had begun to crumble, putting the precious glass at serious risk.

The 144 lots of salvaged stone together raised £210,000 in a sale conducted by the Canterbury Auction Galleries – the most highly prized being a couple of two-metre high Caen stone pieces, which together sold for almost £15,000.

Auctioneer Tony Pratt waived the usual fees for the sale and last week presented the proceeds to the Cathedral, accepted on behalf of the restoration trust fund by the Dean, the Very Rev Robert Willis.

He said: “We are very grateful to The Canterbury Auction Galleries for supporting the Cathedral with this auction.

“It was such a memorable experience with the auctioneers watching their screens as international bids joined those from our auction house in the stonemasons’ yard.

“We never imagined that the stone would raise the money that it did and it will greatly help our work to conserve the Cathedral.”

The window holds some of the Cathedral’s most precious stained glass, including the Ancestors of Christ, with the project described as one of the biggest and most challenging for the building in a generation.

Craftsmen painstakingly removed the panels when the crumbling stone frame was detected

The glass was put into storage and underwent restoration, and glaziers worked with stonemasons to create a framework which would protect the glass against the elements for many years to come.

Costs were met through the generous support of benefactors who contributed £2.5 million through the Cathedral Trust.

Picture: Chris Davey FM4595247 Tony Pratt of Canterbury Auction Galleries and the Dean of Canterbury, The Very Rev Dr Robert Willis, at the Canterbury Cathedral Great South Window