Wells Cathedral
Enduring Collaboration
Nick Cox became Cathedral Architect at Wells in 2011, and has developed a thorough understanding of the building and its significance since joining the team. As a practice we provide general advice on conservation of the fabric, carry out quinquennial reports and act as lead consultants for building projects at the Cathedral.
Towards Net Zero
We are exploring ways to reduce the carbon footprint of the Cathedral, in collaboration with environmental consultants. The practice is developing plans to update and upgrade the Cathedral’s services installations in support of the Church of England’s net zero carbon 2030 target.
Sensitive RepairsÂ
Nick Cox Architects supervised an extensive programme of renovation to the North Transept from 2020 to 2022. As the façade contains a 1325 astronomical clock face (one of the earliest in Britain), restoring its medieval stonework required additional care.Â
Work included cleaning and stonework repairs for external walls, parapets, and turret returns; the removal of sulphate deposits, plant and lichen growth; and a significant amount of stone replacement to the decorative pinnacles at high level. The windows’ stained glass and metalwork were also conserved.
Minimal Intervention
In 2011, Nick Cox Architects supervised the conservation of Wells’s spectacularly intact Jesse Window (c.1340). This involved the installation of an internally vented protective glazing scheme, followed by sensitive conservation of the glass adhering to principles of minimum intervention.
Keeping Buildings Operational During Construction
We manage projects carefully to ensure continued public access to Wells Cathedral, avoiding disruption to Cathedral life.Â
In 2016, we ran a programme of repair work to the north quire aisle parapets. The project rectified a significant area of defective fabric and provided improved rainwater drainage and archaeological insight. Works had to overcome complex construction logistical issues whilst ensuring protection to adjacent windows over public areas of the Cathedral.Â
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Preserving Best Practice
Nick Cox Architects bear the significant responsibility of preserving the West Front of Wells Cathedral. This spectacular architectural composition (c.1220-1250) has been the focus of several building campaigns, many of which continue to inform today’s conservation practices.Â
We carry our regular inspections on the West Front to monitor the condition of the stone and previous repairs. Collaborating with the Cathedral works team and stone conservation specialists, we make decisions on repair and retreatment. A pilot phase of repair works was undertaken in 2021 to the upper tiers of sculpture and a second phase of repair is currently underway. The works included recording, cleaning and stonework repairs to the Statures and Major and Minor supporting architecture.
Research in Practice
Wells Cathedral is a leading case study for limestone conservation, thanks to the extensive documentation of conservation over several years. Nick Cox Architects have prioritised learning and research as part of the repair project for the West Front, and the conservation of its famous carved statues.
Using archaeological and treatment records, common failure mechanisms were identified, categorised by stone type, micro-climate, extent of repairs, mortar mix and conservator. In collaboration with Odgers Consultancy, lessons learnt from the 1970s were used to create a current stone conservation policy.Â
A pilot phase of surveys reviewed interaction of shelter coats applied over lichen, cleaning methods and consolidation methodologies for the polychrome fragments left from the richly painted stonework that would have greeted medieval visitors to Wells Cathedral. The resulting conservation work is informed by the lessons of the past, and will be documented for future.Â
