Leicester Cathedral has left the building …
Leicester Cathedral moved out of its building following Sunday’s service of Evening Prayer – marking the start of a programme of renewal and refurbishment, the £12.7m building project, Leicester Cathedral Revealed.
Over the next twenty months or so, the Cathedral will take its services to the nearby St Martin’s House and around the parishes as it makes way for the renewal project which will renew and recreate a vibrant place of worship, heritage, pilgrimage, hospitality, learning, sanctuary and celebration.
The project will see a unified and level stone floor with energy-efficient underfloor heating; replace failing infrastructure; install new lighting and AV; restore and reveal the Victorian and Arts & Crafts architectural features; repair much that has deteriorated; and secure the fabric for the long term. It will also construct a new visitor and learning centre, The Chapter House, using the footprint of the Old Song School which was demolished last autumn in the first part of the project. The new centre will include an exhibition gallery, a flexible learning space for schools and community groups, and new toilet facilities.
Simon Bentley, who is project managing the restoration, said the King Richard III Visitor Centre would display the coffin pall created for the reburial of the King Richard III – which would normally be on display in the cathedral – and show video footage of his tomb.
Mr Bentley said:
“The cathedral is pleased that these will continue to be enjoyed during restoration works.
“A programme of hard hat tours to look at the archaeology and key aspects of the conservation works, and also view the tomb of King Richard will be arranged during 2022. These will be advertised in advance, dependent on the access available at various stages of building works.”
The building is due to re-open in autumn 2023 – follow its progress with with updates at: leicestercathedral.org/together
