Cathedral repairs funded by grant

Repair work will be carried out on a lesser-known part of Canterbury Cathedral following the awarding of a £250,000 grant.

The city’s historic monument is one of 32 cathedrals to receive a share of a £14.5 million pot from the First World War Centenary Cathedral Repairs Fund.

It was set up to keep the buildings weatherproof and open to the public.

The cash will be used to repair the roof of the first-floor library, near to the water tower, which was built in the 12th century for monks to walk through at night.

Today, the corridor is still in use, but the roof is in need of repair.

The work will involve replacing the lead, repairing the timber structure and replacing gutters.

The Cathedral’s receiver general, John Meardon, said: “The announcement that the Cathedral is to receive this money is very welcome.

“The roof has been patch repaired over the years but there are areas where there are no gutters and water is causing considerable damage to the structure.”

Mr Meardon says that the work will begin as soon as possible, using the scaffolding currently in place for the work on the Cathedral’s north west transept.

Following the announcement, chairman of the Cathedral’s Fabric Commission for England Dame Fiona Reynolds said: “Cathedrals which benefited from the first phase of this fund have been repaired and refurbished, and staff and volunteers have time and resources to serve their cities and regions with renewed energy.

“It is fantastic that more cathedrals are now able to benefit from this scheme.

“England’s cathedrals are a wonderfully diverse group, encompassing not only vast, world-famous medieval buildings such as Durham, Lincoln and Canterbury, but also smaller churches like Wakefield and Leicester.”

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The lesser-known water tower of Canterbury Cathedral needs repairs