St Paul’s Cathedral, London, dates back to 604 and is the UK’s church, used for state funerals, royal weddings and jubilee celebrations. The current building, designed by Sir Christopher Wren, is the fifth cathedral on the site, built at the end of the 17th Century after the previous building was destroyed in the Great Fire of London.
In the late 1960s, Norman & Underwood - recognised as the country’s leading specialist roofing contractors – was awarded the contract to repair the damage caused to the dome and roofs during the war.
All the original 250-year-old lead was stripped from the dome, recast in Leicester using the same traditional methods as the original builders, and then re-laid. The lead sheets were attached at the top by copper tags and fixed into place with silicon bronze screws and washers, replacing the original iron nails.
The work is expected to last for well over another 250 years.
Scope of work
- Removing and refitting lead sheets to the main dome
- Carrying out repairs to the east roof, south east model roof, north trancept and other main roofs
- Recasting 390 tonnes of lead
Contract duration
18 months
Value
£86,880 12s 1d
Date of completion
1969
