Cathedral's five-year repair project completed

Carys Nally
BBC News, West of England
Gloucestershire Cathedral Two pale stone grotesques carved into the pinnacles of a cathedral against a bright blue sky. The sculptures have large teeth and slitted eyes.Gloucestershire Cathedral
A team of stonemasons have been working on the project

Major conservation of a cathedral's stonework has been completed after five years.

Decades of weathering had left the northern side of Gloucester Cathedral in need of repair, prompting a project to integrate new stone to protect the structure.

Visitors will now be able to see a refreshed view of the building's silhouette from the cathedral grounds.

Dean of Gloucester Cathedral, the Very Reverend Andrew Zihni, said he was "incredibly grateful" to everyone who made the restoration possible.

"This project is a wonderful example of the care and dedication that goes into preserving Gloucester Cathedral for future generations," he added.

The westernmost pinnacle of the building, designed and carved by senior members of the cathedral's stonemasonry team, is now crowned with four grotesques.

Grotesques are normally mythical figures carved from stone and fixed to the walls or roof of a building.

Gloucestershire Cathedral Paul Synan and James Bayliss stand on the roof of Gloucester Cathedral. They are both wearing hard hats and shorts. Mr Synan wears a plaid shirt and Mr Bayliss a stripy top.Gloucestershire Cathedral
Stonemasons Paul Synan and James Bayliss worked on the project

The cathedral's head of fabric and property, Eilidh McIntosh, said she was very proud of the team's work.

"It's taken real skill, patience and teamwork to get to this point, especially from our in-house stonemasons and apprentices, who have brought such care and craftsmanship to every detail," she added.

Further restoration work on the cathedral's cloister will begin later in the summer.

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