Exeter Cathedral receives grant for major renovation

The £4.3m grant will go towards a number of refurbishments

Exeter Cathedral has received a £4.3m grant for a major renovation project.

The money from the National Lottery Heritage Fund money will be used to conserve and refurbish half of the medieval building.

The cathedral's shop will also be moved and facilities made more accessible.

The Dean of Exeter said it would contribute to "the most significant improvements" to the building in more than 100 years.

The Very Reverend Jonathan Greener said: "Exeter Cathedral has been at the heart of the local community for nearly a thousand years, and this generous funding will help ensure that it continues to serve and engage all the people of Devon for the 21st century."

Stuart McLeod from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, said the money would help "transform" the cathedral's spaces.

He said: "Not only does it play an integral part in the community of Devon but it is a building that has been the centre of so much of Exeter's history.

"Investing in heritage such as this makes communities better places to live, creating jobs, supporting local economies, driving tourism and making heritage more accessible to others."

A new cloister will also be built to connect the cathedral to its chapter house and the Pearson building.