Construction firm lands historic Lincoln cathedral contract

The Gelder Group has secured a new contract with Lincoln Cathedral to build a stone-cutting facility, marking a step in the Cathedral’s ongoing preservation efforts.

The Cathedral holds a unique distinction as the only one listed in its entirety on English Heritage’s At Risk register.

It will house modern equipment to support future restoration projects, beginning with the second stage of the Chapter House project.

Work on the facility began in January, and it will be available to the Cathedral through a 20-year lease.

Sustainability is at the heart of the development, with plans to incorporate solar panels and battery storage, ensuring the project aligns with long-term environmental goals.

The Very Reverend Dr Simon Jones, Dean of Lincoln said: “This partnership with
Gelder Group to create a bespoke cutting facility is a vital step in our commitment to conserving the built heritage of Lincoln Cathedral in a financially and environmentally sustainable way.

“The Cathedral has stood as a beacon on the skyline of Lincoln for almost 1,000 years, and one of our greatest daily challenges to ensure that it does so for many more centuries to come. The cutting facility will also support our reputation as a centre of excellence for heritage skills by providing our craftspeople with the literal building blocks to continue to conserve this internationally important building for the future, and ensure that these vital skills continue to be shared with the next generation of stonemasons.”