St Mary’s Aisle Makes Good Progress

As many will know, St Mary’s Aisle is the oldest part of the cathedral and still functions as a parish church in its own right. Its heritage includes a roof of traditional Cornish Delabole slate, as well as a beautiful Nativity triptych and intricate wrought ironwork, both by the cathedral architect’s son, Frank Pearson. But all this has been under threat in recent years from a growing problem of water coming in during storms. The roof was worn out and the damage worsened, putting the fine barrel ceiling and 18th-century Byfield Organ at risk.

Thanks to the award of a number of grants, gifts from Mrs Penny Evans and Mrs Grace Holmes in their Wills, and a generous response from local people to a fundraising appeal last year, work is now well underway to rectify the problems. A site office was installed behind the cathedral at the end of April, and since then, dry weather conditions in May and June have allowed rapid progress to be made. The external scaffolding was installed in early May, with hoardings to keep the site safe. Internal scaffolding has also been necessary, and the Aisle is closed to visitors at the moment.

The roof has been stripped of its worn materials, and re-slating began at the start of July using locally-mined Delabole slate to match the original materials. The old slates have been sent for recycling and the masonry repairs have begun. Window guards have all been removed and the ambulatory windows have been sent to a workshop for repair. Leadwork is now being taken down.

The project is a hive of activity, and the external works should be completed before Christmas. Internal refurbishment will follow in the New Year, and by the spring we will have a bright, dry and comfortable space for worship and community events. We can’t wait!

To find out more about St Mary’s Aisle, visit the Restoration page