Salisbury Cathedral has just appointed two new apprentices who have joined the Works Department as trainee stonemasons.
Apprentice stonemasons join Salisbury Cathedral
George Minchington and Flo Whiting joined Salisbury Cathedral team at the end of August, and will learn with the Cathedral for three years, gaining practical experience to earn their qualifications in stonemasonry.
George joins from Devon, where she worked at an aerospace factory. She has always had a love of stonework, which grew during her travels. She describes being able to work at Salisbury Cathedral as a ‘physical manifestation of devotion‘.
Flo joins from the Isle of Purbeck, the same location that the Cathedral’s Purbeck stone originates from. Flo was inspired to become a stonemason after listening to stonemasons and archaeologists speak at the Chalke History Festival. After some work experience, Flo decided this was the right choice for her and applied to become an apprentice mason.
Salisbury is one of only ten of England’s 44 cathedrals with their own Works Department that continues to champion heritage skills. The team is made up of talented stonemasons, glaziers, labourers, a joiner, a plumber, and an electrician, all led by the Clerk of Works and his PA.
As well as maintaining and restoring the Cathedral itself, the Works Department also looks after the surrounding Close, installs artwork, and even puts up the 30ft Christmas tree each year.
The Revd Neil Traynor, Canon Treasurer of Salisbury Cathedral, said:
“We are incredibly fortunate to have such a highly skilled team of artisans in our Works Department. Their craftsmanship plays a vital role in preserving the heritage of this sacred building. By training the next generation of stonemasons and craftspeople, we can ensure these invaluable traditional skills continue to thrive for years to come.”
Gary Price, Clerk of Works of Salisbury Cathedral, said
“Investing in two heritage stone masonry apprentices is an investment in the future of our past, we are safeguarding centuries of craftsmanship. Every stone they shape carries forward the skill, pride, and tradition of those who built before us, ensuring our historic legacy endures for generations to come.”
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This programme, a partnership with Cathedrals’ Workshop Fellowship (CWF), the scheme will fund 36 heritage students at 14 cathedrals.
On the CWF’s Foundation Certificate in Stonemasonry, apprentices learn both theory and practical skills. Those skills include both banker masonry (shaping the stones to a set design) and fixing masonry (securing stones on to buildings). The Foundation degree builds on that experience, offering deeper academic study and a broader understanding of the care, conservation and repair of historic buildings.
Read their their blog in full here.
Watch and listen to the thoughts of three CWF students – Lewis Evans, Zak Nutting and Lucy Newlyn – about their stonemasonry apprenticeships at Gloucester Cathedral on YouTube below.
