Canterbury Cathedral Appeal
Encyclopedia
Launch and background
The Save Canterbury Cathedral Appeal was launched in October 2006 to protect and enhance Canterbury CathedralCanterbury Cathedral
Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England and forms part of a World Heritage Site....
's future as a centre of worship
Worship
Worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity. The word is derived from the Old English worthscipe, meaning worthiness or worth-ship — to give, at its simplest, worth to something, for example, Christian worship.Evelyn Underhill defines worship thus: "The absolute...
, heritage
Cultural heritage
Cultural heritage is the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society that are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future generations...
and culture
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
.
Every five years, a major structural review is carried out at the Cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
. The last so-called Quinquennial Report revealed that a combination of centuries of weathering, pollution
Pollution
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms. Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat or light...
and constant use had taken its toll on the ancient building and some serious problems were in need of urgent action.
The Appeal - the third of its kind, following major fundraising drives at Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
in the 1950s
1950s
The 1950s or The Fifties was the decade that began on January 1, 1950 and ended on December 31, 1959. The decade was the sixth decade of the 20th century...
and 1970s
1970s
File:1970s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: US President Richard Nixon doing the V for Victory sign after his resignation from office after the Watergate scandal in 1974; Refugees aboard a US naval boat after the Fall of Saigon, leading to the end of the Vietnam War in 1975; The 1973 oil...
- was launched to fund these projects. Fundraising
Fundraising
Fundraising or fund raising is the process of soliciting and gathering voluntary contributions as money or other resources, by requesting donations from individuals, businesses, charitable foundations, or governmental agencies...
for the Appeal will take place over a number of years both nationally and internationally and will look to draw on the generosity of supporters all over the world who acknowledge the Cathedral's role as the Mother Church
Mother Church
In Christianity, the term mother church or Mother Church may have one of the following meanings:# The first mission church in an area, or a pioneer cathedral# A basilica or cathedral# The main chapel of a province of a religious order...
of the worldwide Anglican Communion
Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is an international association of national and regional Anglican churches in full communion with the Church of England and specifically with its principal primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury...
and as a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
.
Conservation
Much of the stonework at Canterbury Cathedral is damaged and crumbling, the roofs are leaking and much of the stained glassStained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
is badly corroded. It is thought if action is not taken now, the rate of decay and damage being inflicted on the building will increase dramatically with potentially disastrous results.
Without action, the current damage caused by continuous erosion is expected to get worse and eventually lead to closures of large sections of the Cathedral in order to guarantee the safety of the million plus worshippers, pilgrim
Pilgrim
A pilgrim is a traveler who is on a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journeying to some place of special significance to the adherent of a particular religious belief system...
s and tourists who visit the Cathedral every year. The closure of parts of the Cathedral would be seen as a significant loss of part of Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's Architectural Heritage
Architectural Heritage
Architectural Heritage is an academic journal published by Edinburgh University Press on behalf of the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland in November each year. It was founded in 1991. The journal focuses on architectural history and conservation articles covering all periods of building up...
, but also a huge limitation on the activities and services currently provided by the Cathedral.
The core part of the fundraising programme is focused on the Cathedral's fabric. The major conservation-restoration projects already identified will cost £30 million. Fabric conservation is, undoubtedly, the most urgent element of the campaign. An integrated conservation programme that addresses the priority areas has been drawn up by the Cathedral's Surveyor to the Fabric, John Burton.
The single biggest challenge is the roof. Not surprisingly for a building of this size, the Cathedral is covered by a huge expanse of lead and whilst the majority of the wooden framework remains sound, much of the lead itself needs replacing. This is a mammoth task, particularly over the Nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
, Transept
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
s and Quire of the Cathedral. In addition, a large amount of concrete encasing the bottom of the roof beams needs to be removed and replaced with traditional wooden footers. This is a highly complex structural challenge and an extremely expensive but vital undertaking.
Conservation of the external masonry
Masonry
Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar; the term masonry can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are brick, stone, marble, granite, travertine, limestone; concrete block, glass block, stucco, and...
, particularly on the northern side of the building, is equally as important as the roof. The Cathedral is in part built of Caen stone
Caen stone
Caen stone or Pierre de Caen, is a light creamy-yellow Jurassic limestone quarried in northwestern France near the city of Caen.The limestone is a fine grained oolitic limestone formed in shallow water lagoons in the Bathonian Age about 167 million years ago...
which, although very resistant to time and the elements, will not last for ever. Detailed archaeological studies are undertaken to identify exactly which stones need to be replaced or repaired. In addition, specialist cleaning techniques are used to remove accumulated chemical deposits which, as well as being extremely unsightly, are very damaging to the building.
As the elements attack the outside of the building, over the years millions of worshippers, pilgrims and visitors have taken their toll on the interior. Decoration of the vaults of the Trinity Chapel
Trinity Chapel
Trinity Chapel in Canterbury Cathedral forms part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The chapel was added by William the Englishman as a shrine for the relics of St. Thomas Becket. The shrine became one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in England....
, major improvements to the Treasury building which contains amongst other things the choir practice rooms, conservation work in several other chapels and a raft of other minor works will transform the interior of the Cathedral for the benefit of all its users.
The earliest coloured glass windows in the Cathedral date from the late 12th Century, whilst others are as new as the four Ervin Bossányi
Ervin Bossanyi
Ervin Bossányi was a Hungarian artist, who worked mainly in northern Germany until his emigration in 1934. He then started a new career as a notable stained glass artist in England.-Biography:Bossányi was born in a small village in southern Hungary and educated in Budapest...
windows in the South East Transept (1957). Many have already been conserved and protected by the highly skilled team of stained glass conservators, led by the international expert Leonie Seliger. However much remains to be done, not least of which includes the late 12th Century Oculus window in the South-East Transept.
Development
As well as restoring much of the historic beauty of the Cathedral, the Appeal aims to fund a number of enhancements to the Cathedral's visitor facilities and investment to build on Canterbury's significant musical tradition. There are plans to refurbish the Cathedral pipe organPipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
and renovations to the Choir House have already been completed, providing better facilities for choristers. State of the art technological improvements to the Cathedral's audio-visual and lighting systems are also planned which will significantly benefit visitors including the disabled, visually impaired and hard of hearing.
The Appeal's major projects in detail
£2.6m, Nave and AisleAisle
An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of seats on both sides or with rows of seats on one side and a wall on the other...
Roofs
Essential repairs to stonework around the clerestory
Clerestory
Clerestory is an architectural term that historically denoted an upper level of a Roman basilica or of the nave of a Romanesque or Gothic church, the walls of which rise above the rooflines of the lower aisles and are pierced with windows. In modern usage, clerestory refers to any high windows...
windows and tracery
Tracery
In architecture, Tracery is the stonework elements that support the glass in a Gothic window. The term probably derives from the 'tracing floors' on which the complex patterns of late Gothic windows were laid out.-Plate tracery:...
. Re-leading of nave roof and repairs to flying buttress
Flying buttress
A flying buttress is a specific form of buttressing most strongly associated with Gothic church architecture. The purpose of any buttress is to resist the lateral forces pushing a wall outwards by redirecting them to the ground...
es.
£6m, Bell Harry Tower
Critical works to the Cathedral’s most imposing structure – preparatory photogrammetric studies followed by major work on the carving
Stone carving
Stone carving is an ancient activity where pieces of rough natural stone are shaped by the controlled removal of stone. Owing to the permanence of the material, evidence can be found that even the earliest societies indulged in some form of stone work....
s, pinnacle
Pinnacle
A pinnacle is an architectural ornament originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. The pinnacle looks like a small spire...
s and stone facings, many of which are over 500 years old.
£1m, North West Transept
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
An area of the Cathedral that is particularly difficult to access and has suffered extreme weather damage. Fundamental structural work within the roof to replace timber supporting battens and concrete wall casings. Removal of existing lead, re-casting and re-leading of roof.
£1m, South East Transept
Around £0.5 million is still needed to complete the stonemasonry work on the South East Transept. Repairs to timber battens and re-leading of the Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
Tower roof. This structure dates from the Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
period and is one of the oldest parts of the Cathedral having survived all major fires. Work is still required to St John's and St Gregory's chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
roofs, including replacing water chutes.
£5m, Stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
For conservation of stained glass and surrounding stonework throughout the Cathedral including around £500k for the South Oculus window – one of the world’s finest surviving examples of a late 12th Century round window.
£2m Library and Archives
Funding is needed to ensure that the Cathedral’s precious collection of books and manuscript
Manuscript
A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...
s is preserved for future generations. Specialist conservation treatment is required on paper, parchment
Parchment
Parchment is a thin material made from calfskin, sheepskin or goatskin, often split. Its most common use was as a material for writing on, for documents, notes, or the pages of a book, codex or manuscript. It is distinct from leather in that parchment is limed but not tanned; therefore, it is very...
, book-bindings and photographs. Funds are also required to expand and enhance access, using information technology to make books and documents available to a worldwide audience. Improvements are needed to the fabric of the library buildings including improvements to the insulation to control temperatures inside the building, replacement of worn-out copper roofs and conservation of 17th Century stone and brickwork.
£2 million The Corona Chapel
Work on the North side of the Corona Chapel including conservation to eight stone pinnacles and the staircase tower.
£0.5m General Internal repairs
£2.9m Other works to the Cathedral’s fabric
Work on the South West Tower, North West Tower, The Trinity Chapel, The South Triforium
Triforium
A triforium is a shallow arched gallery within the thickness of inner wall, which stands above the nave of a church or cathedral. It may occur at the level of the clerestory windows, or it may be located as a separate level below the clerestory. It may itself have an outer wall of glass rather than...
, The Chapter House and The Cathedral Undercroft.
£7 m, Music
Endowment for Choristers £3 m
Organ Refurbishment £4 m
Christ Church Gate £2m
Full conservation of the 15th Century gateway to the Precincts including repair of the 17th Century wooden gates which replace those burnt in the Civil War.
South Precincts Development £15 m
To provide a much improved welcome to the one million annual visitors to Canterbury. Funds are also needed to build a new visitor reception. Facilities will include site interpretation and improved accessibility
Accessibility
Accessibility is a general term used to describe the degree to which a product, device, service, or environment is available to as many people as possible. Accessibility can be viewed as the "ability to access" and benefit from some system or entity...
.
The Appeal also aims to develop the outmoded workshop area and Stained Glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
Studio to ensure the survival of Canterbury as a centre of excellence
Centre of Excellence
Centre of Excellence may refer to:*Centre of Excellence on Creative Industries and Innovation, established by the Australian Research Council*Centre of Excellence in Lasers and Optoelectronic Sciences set up by the Cochin University of Science and Technology, India*Centre of Excellence on Public...
for vital craft skills and to promote a sustainable maintenance base for work on the Cathedral which can be viewed by the public. It also aims to fund enhanced training facilities.
How the Cathedral is funded
Canterbury Cathedral receives no government or State funding and only occasional grants from English HeritageEnglish Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
. It is not funded by the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
. The Church Commissioners
Church Commissioners
The Church Commissioners is a body managing the historic property assets of the Church of England. It was set up in 1948 combining the assets of Queen Anne's Bounty, a fund dating from 1704 for the relief of poor clergy, and of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners formed in 1836...
pay the salary of the Dean
Dean (religion)
A dean, in a church context, is a cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy. The title is used mainly in the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.-Anglican Communion:...
and two of the residentiary Canons
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
only. The Cathedral is therefore largely self-funded.
Around £14,500 is spent each day on the cathedral with £9,000 of this being spent on daily running costs. In order to meet these huge costs the cathedral has to rely on income from a number of commercial operations such as property rental, the Cathedral Shop, Hotel and Conference Centre and from entry charges to the Cathedral. This income is only just sufficient, however, to cover the daily costs of running the Cathedral and could not start to support the money needed for the conservation and development projects that are vital for the survival of this magnificent building.
Keeping a Cathedral of Canterbury's size working and open to the public is a big operation requiring the skills of many different people. And of course there are the costs of lighting, heating and general maintenance. The Cathedral employs a full maintenance team of stonemasons and builders, electricians, carpenters and plumbers to keep the building open throughout the year.