This week, Walker’s great-grandson, Chris Hilliard, visited Winchester Cathedral with his daughter Ann-Marie Dalton, Walker’s great-great-granddaughter, alongside her husband, their children and other family members.
During their visit, the family explored the story of Walker’s extraordinary contribution to the cathedral and saw first-hand the lasting impact of the engineering feat that secured the building’s future.
William Walker is celebrated for his pioneering diving work between 1906 and 1911, when he spent more than six years working beneath Winchester Cathedral. Operating in near-darkness and challenging conditions, he helped stabilise the cathedral’s foundations by placing thousands of bags of concrete beneath the structure, preventing further subsidence and ensuring the survival of one of Britain’s most treasured historic buildings.
The family, who had previously attended commemorations marking the centenary of Walker’s work, described the visit as a meaningful opportunity to share his story with the next generation. During their time at the cathedral, they visited Walker’s memorial bust and learned more about the ambitious project that established his place in both local and national history.
