RESTORATION OF S. PAUL'S

Taranaki Daily News, 17 June 1930, Page 9

RESTORATION OF S. PAUL'S

WORK OF SEVENTEEN YEARS

“SAFE SEVERAL CENTURIES”

COST NEAR HALF A MILLION By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright. London, June 15. St. Paul’s Cathedral is closed this week for the first time in its history. An army of cleaners will take charge in preparation for the opening on June 25, when the King and Queen will attend a great thanksgiving service for the completion of the work of making the cathedral safe for many generations. It has cost £450,000 to save St. Paul’s from threatened collapse.

The restoration of Sir Christopher Wren’s architectural masterpiece to a condition of safety for many years to come has been a gigantic task, fraught with the greatest difficulties, both architectural and engineering but the experts are now satisfied tho cathedral is as sound as possible and is unlikely to cause anxiety for many centuries. St. Paul’s as it stands to-day is 220 years old,' and is the third cathedral to occupy the historic site. The first was a Saxon Church, which was destroyed by fire in 1086, and this was followed by the Norman building which was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1866. Then came the present St. Paul’s, designed by Sir Christopher Wren, which as a product of the late Renaissance in England to-day stands unique in Great Britain as the only nonGothic building of its class. The original plan was modified, and the foundation stone was laid on June 21, 1675. The famous architect lived to see his masterpiece finished in 1710, though his master mason, Thomas Strong, died during the course of the construction and his place was filled by his brother, Edward Strong. The building cost just under £748,000. Grave anxiety for the safety of the fabric was felt 70 years later, because of the nature of the subsoil. Repairs in 1781 left something still to be desired, and in 1914 an extensive scheme of restoration was started. Five years alone were spent in reconstructing the south-western pier, in which 3000 cubic feet of masonry was inserted.

HttmUiflnHßiin.rHnUllUlllHunillHHru.uunin.iinu.. In later years the great dome has been the centre of reconstruction operations, fears .being entertained that its great weight would cause collapse. The dome has two folds, the inner shell being 108 feet in diameter and the outer 148 feet.

Down in the crypt of St. Paul’s lie the mortal remains and tombs of many of Britain’s famous naval and military heroes, great churchmen, and notable scholars, engineers and scientists. The event on June 25 has a particular significance to many New Zealanders who, with memories of one of the most notable architectural landmarks of London, contributed substantially, in common with other parts of the Empire, toward tho cost of preserving the cathedral for the nation. More gratifying still, the cathedral authorities will be faced with no debt by this immense undertaking, which has cost £4.50,000. The public has subscribed magai 1 e itly to the cause; in fact, nvn'e than required, as much as £6OOO being culected in boxes placed in the cathedral. New vistas of St. Paul’s will be revealed ’.o Londoners on June .» The beauty of mosaics under the great dome, hitherto hidden in obscuring gloom, will stand out in bold relief under flood lighting. Their delicate and exquisite colouring will amaze those who have thought St. Paul’s somewhat austere, and the hidden lighting at the east end of the chancel will give the cathedral a suggestion of sunshine which will make it a radiant house of prayer. Tho organ, which has been rebuilt and electrified, is sweeter and richer in tone than ever before. The scaffoldings and partitions that have encrusted St. Paul’s for many years at last will be cleared away for the thanksgiving service, which will be a hymn of praise to the great work. The King is to attend the service, and will probably be accompanied by every member of the Royal Family in London at the time. The congregation will include the City of London Corporativn, members of the Order of St. Michael and St. George, peers and commoners, representatives of religious and learned bodies, and bishops from all parts of the world assembled at the Lambeth Conference. All official visitor will be robed and in uniform, so that t m ceremony should be one of the most brilliant ever seen in St. Paul’s. The Archbishop of Canterbury will preach the sermon. ,