Issue 46 April 25 web - Flipbook - Page 84
Restored Seafarers' Chapel
gives a renewed welcome
at Bristol Cathedral
Tom Flemons, Director of Cliveden Conservation and Bath Workshop Manager, explains the work
carried out to the deteriorating Seafarers' Chapel floor, undertaken to improve its safety and enhance
accessibility for visitors and the cathedral congregation.
The restoration of the 14th-century Seafarers’ Chapel
floor was part of Bristol Cathedral's wider project to
improve accessibility. This included the introduction of
step-free access, a hearing aid loop, and a safer, more level
floor. These improvements were not just about enhancing
the physical space, but also about creating a welcoming
environment for all. The Cathedral conducted extensive
consultation with visitors and a range of local groups,
ensuring that the community's voice was heard.
It was a great privilege to be appointed by Nick Cox
Architects on behalf of the Cathedral to undertake the
project. The works principally involved the stone repairs
to the floor, together with conservation and repair of the
marble memorial tablets.
Below, The restored Seafarers’ Chapel, Bristol Cathedral.
Repairing and reinstating the floor required precision
and skill.
The aim was to retain the historic layout of the floor,
keeping the larger ledger slabs in situ whilst lifting and
replacing the decayed and worn Pennant sandstone.
During the dismantling phase, an archaeological watching
brief was maintained. The lifting of the floor created
an opportunity for the discreet installation of acoustic
and audio cabling, and we also revealed unrecorded
subterranean burial vaults.
During the project, marble memorial slabs were lifted and
repaired, and a new stone ramp was created to the east
end into the Lady Chapel. New steel and oak ramps were
fabricated to reduce stepped access from the North Choir
aisle and into the Choir.
