Bath Abbey celebration service to mark end of £19m restoration

Bath Abbey is holding the special service to thank those who supported the project

A service is being held to celebrate the completion of a £19.3m restoration and upgrade of Bath Abbey.

Work to repair the ledger stones and install under-floor heating powered by the city's hot springs began in 2018.

The service was due to start at 15:00 BST on Sunday, and supporters of the project have been invited for a tour of the abbey afterwards.

The abbey's rector said he was proud the work had been completed amid the challenges of the pandemic.

It was the final phase of the Footprint project, which began in 2005.

In 2013 some 6,000 decaying bodies buried under the floor were removed and re-interred before construction work began in 2018.

The project also involved creating new underground spaces for events, new loos, office space as well as making the Abbey floor more accessible for people using wheelchairs by removing fixed pews.

The Footprints project has cost nearly £20m

Rector, Rev Canon Guy Bridgewater, said: "The Celebration Service is a chance to express our gratitude to God - and to everyone who has helped renew Bath Abbey by their generosity, patient faith and hard work."

The service will include music from the abbey's choirs, interviews with some of the people involved in the Footprint Project and a sermon from the guest preacher, the Dean of Westminster Abbey, The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle.

"The vision of a fully restored Abbey floor, and greatly enhanced facilities for welcome, worship and ministry with the city and its visitors, has been gloriously fulfilled - and there are so many thank-yous now to be said," Canon Bridgewater added.

Under-floor heating using Bath's hot springs is now in operation

Project director Nathan Ward said: "We've finally reached a point where the construction has finished and we can take over the spaces."

He added: "There's a huge amount of people involved in the project... and we're now finally seeing it and giving tours for people who were involved early on.

"It's just the amazement that we've made it and the spaces are just incredible."

The visitor centre is due to open later in the year.

Dean of Westminster, The Very Reverend David Hoyle, will also hold a sermon at the service