Works to the North Quire Aisle
Visitors and residents alike during the period from July to October last year found the North Choir Aisle hidden from view in a forest of scaffolding and plastic tunnels. While access to Gundulph tower and the Chequer's Yard was maintained beneath, Dave Baker and his team were undertaking a major cleaning and overhaul of the vaults and structure above. As is always the case with high-level work, it was diffcult to assess the extent of work involved until the scaffold was in place and the elements of the stucture studied at close quarters,
Dry cleaning and 'hoovering' of the vaults and walls was followed by washing down and lime-washing all surfaces except the stone facings. The window heads and other areas of loose and defective rendering were cut back and re-rendered, and two loose sections of rib and five sections of shafting drilled and pinned back using stainless steel pins grouted in. The Purbeck Marble sections of the shafting were cleaned and polished using a micro crystoline solution and repairs undertaken to some of the capitals.
Close access to the bosses of the vault enabled them to be recorded indeed in their newly cleaned state they are now well worth study from ground level, and the oak doors were cleaned and polished with raw beeswax.
New lighting and new emergency lighting was installed, the latter being concealed under the treads of the stairs, and these treads were refixed on new bearers. The tomb of Hamo de Hythe, Bishop of Rochester in the 14th century, was covered with a police which lifted off the grime of ages to reveal the fine detail of the stonework, complete with a number of medieval 'Green Men'.
The memorial to Dr. Carsar, on the south wall of the aisle, was cleaned and the marble polished. Due to its size this memorial had been left in situ, and it will be joined in due course by a number of other military memorials that have been removed from the old Jesus Chapel in preparation for the creation of the new Baptistry. Also to be replaced is the royal coat of arms, which is awaiting restoration at present.
Mr. Baker also undertook some preparatory work in the Jesus Chapel and the North Nave Transept before work started on the fresco. Excavation of the floor at the ledger slabs was necessary to ascertain the bearing capacity for the re-sited (or new) font, and the opportunity was taken to install ducting and service runs. With the floor reinstated, it was protected from works damage and
the works compound created. The east and return walls under the arch were stripped of the 19th century render to reveal a wall of chalk, flint, ragstone and 1950s brick! The later was removed and rebuilt in stone and the whole rendered flat - though not plumb!
The plaques were removed for resiting in the North Choir Aisle - as mentioned above - and the return walls and ceiling lime-washed. Stone repairs were made to the arches, ribs and capitals, and the Dean's head inserted. The area was then handed over for the fresco to be completed.
On its completion decisions will need to be made on the extent of work in tidying up the adjacent walls to make the whole area worthy of its new status.
Bob Ratcliffe
(following conversations with Dave Baker)
The Friends of Rochester Cathedral were founded to help finance the maintenance of the fabric and grounds. The Friends’ annual reports have become a trove of articles on the fabric and history of the cathedral.
Keeping the Cathedral standing, warm, lit, beautiful and ready to receive worshippers and visitors is a never-ending task.