Wells Cathedral Stonemasons

WELLS CATHEDRAL STONEMASONS START LAST STAGE OF RESTORING WINCHESTER COLLEGE

Wells Cathedral Stonemasons, the Somerset-based specialists in preserving ancient stone-skills, has begun the last stage of work at Winchester College to clean, repair, and restore the medieval Chapel and Hall.

The final stage includes an ornate carving of “The Faithful Servant”, the historic school‘s famous emblem.

The 14-month programme has included stone-cleaning to remove carbon deposits resulting from several hundred years of coal fires, re-pointing the stonework, using traditional conservation techniques, and replacing the original lime mortar. The new mortar is made to the traditional method and should last the buildings for many centuries.

The project has given the Somerset stonemasons an opportunity to work with Beer Stone, a white limestone from Devon, for which the Cheddar-based company is now the UK‘s sole remaining supplier.

“Beer stone is now rare because the quarry is no longer in operation. But we bought and stored the last remaining supply” says Simon Armstrong, one of the company‘s Mason Directors.

“This stone is quite unusual: it is white with a surface mottling, and was used in the original building. Other stones came from Chilmark, near Salisbury, and Doulting, near Shepton Mallet, and we have ensured that the restoration uses the same materials.”

Winchester College was founded in the fourteenth century by William of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester and Chancellor to Richard II. He was one of the greatest architectural and artistic patrons of his day and his medieval buildings at the College are still in daily use, mostly for their original purposes.

ENDS 27th November 2007

For further information please contact Violet Ridge, Sturgess Van Damme, on 01275 349011 or email violet@sturgessvandamme.co.uk