Pieces of cathedral go on sale to fund restoration

Some of the pieces going under the hammer were created at a recent stone carving festival

Historic stones that once formed part of a cathedral are being auctioned off to support a major restoration project.

Gloucester Cathedral is selling pieces created during a stone carving festival along with historic stones in an online auction, with proceeds going to support the cathedral's East Cloister Project.

The carvings were inspired by the theme of peace and remembrance following the 80th anniversary of VE and VJ Day.

The finished pieces, along with stones which were once part of the cathedral's structure, will be displayed in the North Aisle from 27 August to 2 September, with bidding to close at 23:00 BST on the final day.

The East Cloister Project, focusing on the 14th Century East Walk, is a 10-year conservation programme which began with essential repairs.

Considered one of the most historically significant spaces in the building by Gloucester Cathedral's team, the East Cloister is famous in the 21st Century as the Hogwarts corridors in some of the Harry Potter films.

In 2019, an inspection took place which revealed serious damage caused by outdated cement repairs, which are trapping moisture and accelerating stone decay.

The cracked concrete roof of East Walk is allowing water to seep into the cloister and some of the stained glass panels are warped and require restoration.

The carvings were inspired by the recent VE Day and VJ Day anniversaries

"By taking part in the auction, you're not only acquiring a unique piece of art, but also helping to safeguard one of the nation's most iconic buildings," said Chloe Bridgen, head of development at Gloucester Cathedral, said.

"It's a chance to own something truly special while making a real difference to the cathedral's future."

Gloucester Cathedral received a £40,000 grant to help fund repairs to the cloisters earlier this year.

Last month, the cathedral and Gloucester Brewery released CathedrALE, with a proportion of proceeds from sales of the beer going towards the project.