15 tonnes of topsoil is a lot of earth, but it is the amount used so far to level the lawn in front of the Cathedral Offices in the Inner Close.
The paving stones surrounding the Jane Austen statue were sat too high. They were at risk of being chipped by approaching admirers, and the admirers were at risk of tripping. As soon as possible after the removal of the Christmas Market, these hazards have been addressed by our wonderful team of gardeners.
The gardeners belong to the Works Department, which plays a vital role in the maintenance of our estate. To appreciate their contribution, we need look no further than the Cathedral’s charitable objects. Naturally enough, the first is to advance the Christian religion. Hot on its heels, though, comes conserving the historic fabric and structure of the church. These workers do something central to our core purpose.
Visitors are always fascinated by work in progress, whether the conservation of the 12th Century font, recently completed, or the monumental task of conserving the stone tracery and glass inside and outside the south nave wall.
Visitors are told the story of William Walker, the diver who worked under the foundations in murky waters at the start of the 20th Century, when it was thought that the Cathedral was collapsing. Walker put down bags of cement, so that the narrow trenches in which he worked could be pumped out without filling up again with underground water, leaving others to make the foundations secure.
But we have learned from bitter experience that focusing on the cathedral alone is a recipe for disaster. When the Dean’s accommodation was refurbished a decade ago, the architect said that this was the historic building in the greatest distress that he had ever seen. When some wooden panelling was taken down, the bricks behind it cascaded to the floor.
The work is made no easier by the increasing bureaucracy of our times. Risk assessments must be completed. Gaining consent for anything is complex, even for digging or repairing a wall, and must be overseen by experts. Gaining the permissions for a lift to the east end could take ten years. Our workers’ multi-pronged persistence deserves as much admiration as is given to ‘Diver Bill’.
In July 1912, once the cathedral foundations had been fully secured, a service of thanksgiving was held, led by the Archbishop of Canterbury. King George V presented William Walker with a silver rosebowl in recognition of his efforts. Walker said afterwards, “It made me uncomfortable to be spoken of in the pulpit before that host of people, but I daresay they didn’t know I was the man His Grace was talking about.”
Manual work will always play an honoured part in the life of the Cathedral. ‘Keeping the place going’ is in no way second best to its ministry and mission. Rather, it’s an emblem of the humble service offered in Christ’s name by staff and volunteers to the wider community.