Bishop John Arnold is Restoring his Cathedral

Bishop Arnold Sets to Work

Diocese of Salford

Recent years have brought news of significant restoration works in a number of Catholic cathedrals, including St John the Baptist, Norwich, St Marie’s, Hallam in Sheffield and Our Lady, Help of Christians and St Peter of Alcantara in Shrewsbury. Now our former Sub-Administrator, Bishop John Arnold, begins a project in his Cathedral of St John the Evangelist in Salford.

Salford Cathedral has publicly revealed the first exciting details of its multi-million pound restoration project. The works involve extensive repairs, redecoration, and future proofing to bring this historic focal point of Salford into the 21st century. Details of the work are on display in the cathedral alongside architectural drawings and concept art explaining the next steps on the restoration journey. The plans give a glimpse of what the cathedral may look like when it reopens following the restoration project. On display is the detailed floor plan, showing the proposed changes to the flooring and layout of the cathedral.

A spokesperson said: ‘The interior designs aim to restore the original glory of the cathedral, creating a richly decorated and atmospheric space, restoring some of the original design features that have been lost over the years. Using contemporary techniques to reveal the former glory of the building will allow us to become a sustainable cathedral for future generations’. In addition to this update on the work that is to come, Salford Cathedral has provided details of immediate external repairs and improvements. This work includes refurbishment of the roof and tower and secondary glazing to all the windows.

He added: ‘Large parts of the cathedral are in poor condition due to unsympathetic works carried out in the past. Extensive repairs are necessary to prevent further deterioration of the building. Obviously, the work to the interior of the cathedral cannot start until the building is watertight’. A recent inspection report identified sections of the existing roof that require re-roofing. The nave roof, for example, is not under-felted, presenting the risk of water ingress into the building. All replacement work will be done in a like-for-like material or will replace modern repairs not in keeping with original look of the cathedral.

‘Parts of the roof are uninsulated, and this does not help us heat the cathedral in the most efficient way. The refurbishment work will help us on our journey to be the most sustainable cathedral in the UK. It will also provide long term solutions to increasingly unpredictable and extreme patterns of weather associated with climate change.’

If you have any further questions on the external repairs or would like to submit any feedback, please email communications@salfordcathedral.co.uk. Further consultation on Phase 2 (Internal Works) of the Restoration Project will take place later this year. You can follow the restoration journey by checking for regular updates at: https://salfordcathedral.co.uk/= Although successive restorations have blotted out much of the decorative work in the nave and sanctuary, the Cathedral’s fine Memorial Chapel has had its decoration spared – the roof panels showing the instruments of the Lord’s Passion, the stained glass illustrating the themes of the Eucharist and Sacrifice and, not least, the wall panels with the names of over 600 men of the diocese who died in the Great War. Originally the Blessed Sacrament Chapel until 1884, it then became the Calvary Chapel until named as the Memorial Chapel in 1923, retaining the Pieta to which it had become home during its time as the Calvary Chapel.