23 Mar Coventry Cathedral, Church of St Michael
Between the years of 2020-2022 Heritage Stone Access worked to inspect the stonework of the old Cathedral church of St Michael. Inspections were undertaken on the nave, the tower and the spire.
Mostly constructed between the 14th and 15th centuries from red sandstone St Michael’s church was one of the largest parish churches in England until 1918 when it was elevated to cathedral status. The Cathedral is now a ruin as it was badly bombed during the Coventry Blitz in November 1940. Only the tower, the spire and the outer wall of the original Cathedral remain. The grounds are still sacred and have a Grade I listing.
The current Cathedral, built next to the ruins of the old, was designed by Sir Basil Spence and engineered by Arup. It was built in the 1950s and consecrated in 1962.
Inspection work done at the Cathedral has been documented in comprehensive reports that outline the condition of the stonework and give recommendations for phases of repair work. All work was done off the ropes, and a laddering system was installed for access up the spire.
During this period Coventry was the 2021 City of Culture and Luke Jerram’s sculpture Gaia was installed in the nave, rigged by HSAltd.