Work to repair the damaged central spire at Lichfield Cathedral has begun after a £249,000 grant.
The money has been handed over by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to help kickstart the £1million project.
The 12 month scheme will aim to restore and reopen the spire for visitors.
The Very Revd Adrian Dorber, Dean of Lichfield said:
“It is a significant moment in the history of Lichfield Cathedral.
“The funding allows us to repair and replace damaged or eroded stone on the central spire, we can also raise awareness of what this impressive landmark standing at the heart of the city, the central spire serves two purposes – to be a beacon of hope to the community it serves, and to point people’s gaze towards God, the foundation of our faith and the reason for the construction of this ancient and sacred building.
“We are grateful to all of our donors, individuals and organisations who have committed their funds to this project and to the players of The National Lottery.”
The Very Revd Adrian Dorber, Dean of Lichfield
Originally built in the 1300s and almost completely destroyed during the English Civil War, the central spire of Lichfield Cathedral has been rebuilt and restored across the centuries.
The new restoration project will also seek to tell the story of the craftspeople who have worked on it over the last 800 years and will see community engagement and demonstrations of how traditional techniques are being used to restore part of this Grade 1 listed building.
Scaffolding is being built to start the first phase of the restoration works, which are due to be completed by the end of 2023.
In addition to the grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, significant funds have also been pledged by the Garfield Weston Foundation, the Wolfson Foundation, HS2 Community and Environment Fund, and the Headley Trust, along with many other grants and donations from hundreds of donors.
