The wraps are off!
Ten years after it was shrouded in scaffolding Rotherham Minster’s rebuilt spire has finally been revealed to the public.
The church, pictured, has at last shed its metal coat to show off the spectacular results of a £2.25m restoration project.
“It
looks absolutely wonderful,” said Canon David Bliss, who had never seen
the church without scaffolding in the three years he has been with the
minster.
He added: “It’s been nine or ten years since the minster
has been free from scaffolding, apart from when one job finished and
another started.
“I think everyone in Rotherham is very pleased with the results.”
As well as rebuilding the top part of the 15th century spire, major work has also been completed on the roof.
Clock faces have been replaced and new floodlights installed to light up the iconic building which can be seen for miles around.
And
while All Saints Church has undergone a transformation, buildings
around it have been restored or demolished as part of the £2bn Rotherham
Renaissance regeneration project.
The scheme has also led to the
creation of the Minster Gardens, a place where visitors go to sit and
reflect, on the western side of the building.
Canon Bliss, the
Vicar of Rotherham, said: “It’s very cold at the moment but in the
summer we saw people bringing their lunches and picnics to the
churchyard, which was lovely.
“Hopefully this summer they will come back to visit.”
Although the restoration is complete outside, there is still work to do inside.
Replacing 50-year-old lighting, putting up new chandeliers and building
a new kitchen so the minster can offer meals as well as coffee are
among the plans.
From: http://www.thestar.co.uk/community/minster_repairs_finished_1_4052888
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