Leicester Cathedral Revealed

Leicester Cathedral is the mother church for the Diocese of Leicester and the seat of the Bishop of Leicester. King Richard III was reburied in the Cathedral in 2015 following the discovery of his remains in what was the friary of Greyfriars.

Project Summary

The Leicester Cathedral Revealed project aimed to make the cathedral the ‘beating heart for the city and county’. It included the creation of a new Heritage Learning Centre, designed to share the stories of the cathedral and its people, and to serve as an inspiring hub for the local community.

Heritage Learning Centre

A key element of the restoration, architectural reconfiguration, interpretation and activity planning was to transform Leicester Cathedral and ensure its significance and history were accessible to all – physically, intellectually, and spiritually.

Messenger was awarded the contract for the demolition of the existing Song School and construction of the Heritage Learning Centre within the Cathedral Gardens. The extension works included:

  • A four-storey building, with two basement levels and two above ground
  • Reinforced concrete frame and steelwork structure
  • Northumberland Buff sandstone façade tied into porotherm or concrete inner skin, with high-level lead and brass cladding
  • A mixture of lead and single ply roof coverings
  • Full internal fit-out including limestone floors, timber feature walls, and more
  • Construction delivered to Passivhaus targets using Passivhaus construction details
  • Deconstruction of a previous extension dating to 1930
  • A new opening formed in the Great South Aisle façade to connect the Learning Centre to the Cathedral.

Cathedral Refurbishment

The further refurbishment works to the Cathedral itself included:

  • Full modernisation of mechanical and electrical services, including heating, small power, lighting, access control, and fire alarms, supported by a below-ground duct network
  • Replacement of existing floor finishes and subfloor with a breathable limecrete slab, underfloor heating, and new stone floor finishes (Hopton Wood, Ancaster, Purbeck Grub, Purbeck Beige, Kilkenny Fossil, Slate) to create a single-level floor
  • Internal and external stonework repairs using Peakmoor stone, including the supply and installation of new grotesques
  • Adaptations to historic timber screens, panels and features to suit new floor levels and M&E installations, while also repairing damage from woodworm and rot
  • Redecoration of internal walls and ceilings using breathable lime-based paints, carried out via a six-storey birdcage scaffold
  • Installation of new fall arrest systems and adaptation of existing architectural metalwork
  • Hard and soft landscaping to provide accessible entrance and exit routes.

Conserving a Living Space

The project involved introducing a new building to a historically sensitive site, with great care taken to ensure a seamless integration. A team of heritage and conservation specialists from Messenger delivered the project using a blend of traditional and modern methods and materials. The works were carried out meticulously and in close consultation with both the architect and the client.

As the Cathedral remained a place of worship throughout, the team worked respectfully and carefully, protecting all elements of religious importance and minimising disruption. The works also included the re-ordering of liturgical and other spaces.

Client:

The Chapter of Leicester Cathedral

Architect:

van Heyningen & Haward Architects

Completion:

April 2025

Value:

£10.3m

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