Lichfield Cathedral has been awarded almost £700,000 to carry out repairs on its Chapter House.
The money has come from the First World War Centenary Cathedral Repairs Fund, which has handed out a total of £14.5million
The £690,000 awarded to Lichfield will help it reverse serious water penetration and stone erosion on the Chapter House.
The structure is built from different types of red sandstone, but in recent years the top layer has begun to weaken and the roof is showing signs of distress, with fears damage could be caused to the library collection.
The Very Revd Adrian Dorber, Dean of Lichfield, says: “This grant could not have come at a better time.
“In February this year we launched the Chapter House Appeal, with an ambitious aim to raise £2million.
“Our Chapter House is a hugely important part of the Cathedral and its history, and we’re incredibly grateful to the government for enabling us to repair and maintain it for future generations.”
Lichfield’s is the only two-storey Chapter House in the UK and is currently home to a long-term exhibition that focuses on the Anglo-Saxon history of the cathedral. It includes the St Chad Gospels, the Lichfield Angel, and associated Christian items from the Staffordshire Hoard.
