Nottingham CathedraNottingham Cathedral (CC0 1.0 Universal Michael D Beckwith)
Original architect’s vision to be brought back to life thanks to £1.69m National Lottery Heritage Fund grant
Nottingham Cathedral has secured a £1.69m grant, which will support the restoration of its east end.
The capital from The National Lottery Heritage Fund will fund the restoration, which is part of a larger £2.3m Restoring Pugin Project, named after the cathedral’s original designer Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin.
Hidden beneath layers of ageing grey paint, expert conservators Cliveden Conservation have found evidence of Pugin’s original decorative scheme in the Grade II* listed building.
The ‘Restoring Pugin Project’ will see the restoration of the three chapels and ambulatories at the east end of the Cathedral back to Pugin’s original vision and design.
Alongside this restoration work, the Catholic Diocese of Nottingham and Nottingham Cathedral said there are plans to further develop the Cathedral’s profile within the City “as a place of welcome for all”.
It plans new activities at the cathedral including new information panels, touchscreens, printed materials, audio visual materials, and a virtual reality experience.
Bishop Patrick McKinney, Bishop of Nottingham, said: “In restoring Nottingham Cathedral to its former glory, it is my ardent desire to attract more and more people of all ages and backgrounds, especially local people, to experience the Cathedral as a place of beauty, living faith and peace in the midst of the City and a sign of hope in these difficult times we live in.”
Liz Bates, Director, England, Midlands & East at The National Lottery Heritage Fund the project “sums up how investing in heritage can bring widespread benefits”.
