Gloucester Cathedral stone auctioned for more than £12k

Some of the stones are more than 600 years old

Stones from a cathedral, some of which are hundreds of years old, have raised more than £12,000 at auction to help pay for the building's upkeep.

The 10 lots attracted 98 bids between them for Gloucester Cathedral.

It was the first sale of its kind by the cathedral.

The Dean of Gloucester said: "Cathedrals are built with both living stones and the stones that after hundreds of years need replacing," of which these were the latter.

The auction was open to sealed bids, with all reserve prices met

"We are delighted that the auction received such a positive response and are very grateful for everyone's support," Gloucester Cathedral tweeted after the sale.

"Thank you to everyone who supported our inaugural stone auction - thanks to your generosity, the auction raised £12,232 which will all go directly towards the upkeep of the fabric of Gloucester Cathedral."

The Very Reverend Stephen Lake, Dean of Gloucester, said before the auction: "People sometimes think that cathedrals are like ships in a bottle, stuck, unable to move and yet the reality is that cathedrals are built with both living stones and the stones that after hundreds of years need replacing."

Each of the stones has a certificate of authenticity detailing its historical journey and its original location in the Cathedral.

The money raised from the stones will go towards the upkeep of Gloucester Cathedral