DEVELOPMENT UP-DATE FROM WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL
ISSUE 5 – APRIL 2014
Welcome to our fifth Development Update. In this issue we talk of some of the work now started
and some that will start soon. And our focus is the conservation of the renaissance mortuary chests
that are key to Kings and Scribes: The Birth of a Nation.
Damaged gold leaf
Disbinding a quire
WINCHESTER BIBLE
In preparation for its relocation to the ground level of the South Transept, in what is thought to have been the original scriptorium in which
it was created, the first volume of the Winchester Bible is undergoing conservation and rebinding. Known currently as ‘the calefactory’ the
intention is that the whole of that area will house all four volumes in state-of-the-art conditions, alongside a full explanation of its creation
and more about similar manuscripts of such international importance.
THE LEARNING
CENTRE
The education department has now moved
to its temporary home in the Prior’s Hall and,
meanwhile, preparations have started on the
complete refurbishment of 10a The Close,
which will enable full disabled access to the
entire building and a first aid medical centre.
At the same time we are building the new
Learning Centre behind No. 9 The Close. By
day, this will welcome our younger visitors
and, outside those times, provide much
needed facilities for other groups.
Ian Bartlett, the recently appointed
Construction Site Manager
IN FOCUS
MORTUARY
CHESTS
There are two types of chests, four dating
from the sixteenth century, and tradition
holds that these were constructed during the
time of Bishop Fox in about 1525, following
the completion of the Presbytery. On the
morning of Thursday 14th December 1642
William Waller’s Parliamentary Army entered
the cathedral and began to wreck and destroy
ecclesiastical treasures, which included
damaging the mortuary chests. The final two
chests were probably constructed in 1661
following this damage.
The chest, quite probably, gave us some of the
greatest challenges in terms of assessment –
the state of the chests, their age, woodwork,
ironwork, heraldry and cleanliness. Much of
this assessment has now been undertaken
and we remain to be advised as to the best
course of action to conserve them.
During the evaluation work the conservators
found an awkward connection between
the chest and their carved friezes. This is
thought to have arisen from a problem in
the communication between the joiner and
the carver resulting in the frieze panels being
made too narrow for the chests.
TIMELINE
1525
1642
Bishop Richard
Fox builds the
stone screens
on which the
chests rest
Parliamentary
Army damages
the mortuary
chests
1
rep
che
1661
Two
placement
ests made
1684
–1693
Chests repaired
and repainted
1797
1874
1886
1932
1959
Henry Howard
– inspects
the mortuary
chests
Francis Baigent
– drawings and
paintings of the
chests
Dr Kitchen,
Dean of
Winchester
inspects the
chests
New inner
chests
constructed
The chest
‘cleaned’
PROJECT PROGRESS
The next issue of Illumination will feature an outline of project progress
including the preparations for the re-roofing of the Presbytery.
COMMUNICATION
Our development projects are complex, with hundreds of people involved over a
number of years. There will be many opportunities that will expand on the presentation
made on Community Day.
Cathedral Office
9 The Close, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 9LS
Tel: 01962 857 200
cathedral.office@winchester-cathedral.org.uk
www.winchester-cathedral.org.uk
Supported by the
Heritage Lottery Fund
SUMMARY OF
CAPITAL WORKS
Our capital works are currently being
planned, with the contractors expected
to start in late spring on the exterior of
the Presbytery and South Transept, and
work inside the Cathedral not starting
until after the Southern Cathedrals
Festival in July. To minimise disruption
nearly all of the building materials needed
during the work on the Cathedral will
be delivered to the North side of the
Cathedral and the taken from there to
where they are needed.