Exeter Cathedral launches appeal as £10m revamp begins

About half of the Grade I listed heritage site will be "conserved and refurbished" as part of the project

Exeter Cathedral has launched a £10m appeal to ensure its "sustainable future" as work got underway to refurbish part of the building.

The appeal will see the cathedral being developed for visitors, with a new gallery, an exhibition and toilets.

A total of £6.2 million has been raised for the £10m appeal, including a £4.3m grant from the National Lottery.

Work on the new Cloister Gallery began on Friday.

Sir Laurie Magnus, chair of Historic England, visited the cathedral to officially mark the occasion.

He said: "Exeter Cathedral is one of the glories of England's rich ecclesiastical heritage, filled with many remarkable features and touched by some of the most significant events in our nation's history."

Work began with a ceremonial cutting of the turf

Mr Magnus also launched the Exeter Cathedral Development Appeal, which received Royal Patronage from the Prince of Wales.

Work will include:

• A new Cloister Gallery

• Improving access to the cathedral's collections

• Providing a "sheltered connection" between the cathedral and cloister building and a link to the refurbished Chapter house

• A new treasures exhibition

• Conservation of 50 medieval mercy seats

• New space for the cathedral shop

• New sustainable heating system, accessible toilets and lifts

The Very Reverend Jonathan Greener, Dean of Exeter, hoped the new developments would bring its community together.

He said: "It is so important that we do all we can to preserve this precious piece of Devon heritage for future generations, just as previous generations did for us.

"We also need to ensure that the cathedral continues to inspire and meet the needs of the people of Devon for the 21st century."