PETER EDDS

Our cathedrals in their hands

There are 42 cathedrals but only eight of them have cathedral workshops. The newly formed Cathedrals Workshop Fellowship hopes to fill the training and expertise gap.

The skills of our craftsmen and women are part of this county’s hidden heritage. Our historic landscapes and buildings were created and are maintained by skilled craftspeople who combine technical experience with an appreciation of beauty. Nowadays these skills are threatened and need to be nurtured. We also need educators who can make heritage come alive for new audiences. That is why representatives of eight cathedral workshops met at Gloucester Cathedral in 2005 to encourage better understanding of the work of Cathedral Works Departments and to see if these centres of excellence could focus attention on the shortage of skills.

It became clear during the course of the meeting that a Fellowship of Cathedral Workshops might offer additional benefits to participating cathedrals, and cathedrals in general, throughout the country. Possible benefits might include:

• standardising the training of workshop apprentices and craftsmen

• influencing the training provided by educational and examining boards to meet the particular needs of cathedrals

• encouraging sponsorship from government departments and other interested agencies to preserve the very specialised skills of the craftsmen working on such buildings

• arranging exchange schemes between workshops to foster a mutual understanding of the problems they face

• bringing a greater understanding of the problems encountered in the conservation, repair and maintenance of cathedrals to the attention of government agencies and others

The Prince of Wales, patron of the Cathedral Workshops Fellowship, meeting apprentice Cathy Cunningham at a weekly CWF seminar/workshop in Lincoln. The Chapter House has been used as a workshop to display skills to the public.

• lobbying funding and government agencies to recognise the work undertaken by works departments

• establishing a system of self-help and co-operation between cathedrals so that the skills of participating members can be called on to advise or undertake work for other cathedrals

• arranging festivals where the skills of cathedral craftspeople can be displayed and appreciated.

Workshops containing skilled craftsmen and artisans have always been attached or associated with cathedrals since the construction of the very first buildings of worship. These workshops grew up around a cathedral during its building but, unlike their European counterparts, the British workshops remained, albeit in a smaller form, after the initial construction to continue the cathedral’s maintenance and adornment. Over the years these workshops have become centres of excellence where ancient skills and crafts are preserved, and passed on to others to continue the work.

Following the second world war, the craftsmen and women working on cathedrals slowly drifted away to

CONTEXT 102 : NOVEMBER 2007

Salisbury Cathedral

and contribute to the repair of historic buildings. There is always the temptation of more money being offered for short-term commercial work which removes skilled craftsmen from the market.

Employers must understand the importance of continued professional development in their employees’ training. It is only by developing new skills that a workforce can be used to its full capacity. This must begin with the apprentice, and it should include exchange schemes with other workshops and in-house training in which other cathedrals can also participate.

There must be a commitment by all those who need the services of skilled craftsmen to take responsibility for and ensure that proper and appropriate training and rewards are offered. We can not rely on the government to do this for us. Above all, there must be continuity of work so that skills can be passed from craftsman to apprentice or trainee.

In my experience there is never a shortage of craftsmen, only a shortage of people prepared to pay for craftsmanship. This responsibility is a long-term commitment, not a short-term means to an end.

With an ever-increasing emphasis on conservation work, there is a need for craftsmen with wider experience. In the field of stone masonry and conservation of stonework, this experience and training should cover all aspects of the work from fixing to carving. All entrants should first learn the skills of working stone, and gain knowledge of stone and its structure. They should learn and experiment with the techniques of conservation. The result should be craftsmen who have a better understanding of stonework and who fully appreciate what is expected of them and what they are working with.

Entrance to any form of training should be based on an assessment of ability, not on purely academic grounds. A craftsman can produce a beautiful piece of carving without being able to read and write. The evidence for this is contained within the medieval cathedrals and churches we look after today.

Workshops should be able to appreciate one another’s problems. A series of exchange visits between workshops should be set up, perhaps with yearly visits by one workshop to another. The present Stone Festival should be extended to include other crafts, and perhaps to become an annual event.

Cathedrals are visited by millions of visitors every year, contributing millions of pounds to both the local and national economy. The allocation of a small part of this revenue would go a long way in maintaining our workshops and hence the cathedrals they look after.

Eight cathedral workshops out of a total number of 42 cathedrals can not keep all our cathedrals in good repair. We can, however, provide training, expertise and perhaps labour to those cathedrals which can not afford to employ their own workforce. By making use of this ready source of knowledge and skills we will be able to maintain the workforces presently in place, and provide a reliable source of training for those cathedrals wanting to employ their own craftsmen.

Peter Edds is head of

buildings and estate at

Salisbury Cathedral.

work on rebuilding our towns and cities. This resulted in a deterioration not only of the cathedrals but also of the skills of the craftspeople available to undertake such work.

Today only eight workshops remain, from a total of 42 cathedrals, which are able to undertake such work. There are a few outside contractors able to carry out this very specialised work. These are commercial enterprises that generally do not encourage the training of their existing workforces or take up craft apprenticeships. If they do, it is certainly not to the standard required by cathedral workshops.

The problem can not be solved in a fluctuating market or in a climate where employers lack the confidence to train employees. It is only in workshops with a continuing programme of work and with the necessary financial backing that comprehensive training can take place.

Cathedral workshops, where they exist, provide the correct mix of on-site and workshop training, while at the same time meeting the standards imposed by the government for apprentice training. These workshops provide the right atmosphere and conditions for comprehensive training. But little can be done unless funding is available to increase the amount of training undertaken, and unless the training given through the National Vocational Qualifications syllabus is compatible with that provided by those who continue the training and employ these craftsmen within workshops.

English Heritage, for one, has just awoken to the need for additional craftsmen and along with the government is now publicising this. It does not, however, tell us how this training will be paid for or how the training will take place. The existing colleges are certainly not equipped to provide the kind of training needed by cathedrals.

A long-term view needs to be taken of the skill requirements over the next 50 years. One must always be aware that even after extensive training there is no guarantee that the person with the skills is going to stay

CONTEXT 102 : NOVEMBER 2007



PETER EDDS

Our cathedrals in their hands There are 42 cathedrals but only eight of them have cathedral workshops. The newly formed Cathedrals Workshop Fellowship hopes to fill the training and expertise gap.

The skills of our craftsmen and women are part of this county’s hidden heritage. Our historic landscapes and buildings were created and are maintained by skilled craftspeople who combine technical experience with an appreciation of beauty. Nowadays these skills are threatened and need to be nurtured. We also need educators who can make heritage come alive for new audiences. That is why representatives of eight cathedral workshops met at Gloucester Cathedral in 2005 to encourage better understanding of the work of Cathedral Works Departments and to see if these centres of excellence could focus attention on the shortage of skills. It became clear during the course of the meeting that a Fellowship of Cathedral Workshops might offer additional benefits to participating cathedrals, and cathedrals in general, throughout the country. Possible benefits might include: • standardising the training of workshop apprentices and craftsmen • influencing the training provided by educational and examining boards to meet the particular needs of cathedrals • encouraging sponsorship from government departments and other interested agencies to preserve the very specialised skills of the craftsmen working on such buildings • arranging exchange schemes between workshops to foster a mutual understanding of the problems they face • bringing a greater understanding of the problems encountered in the conservation, repair and maintenance of cathedrals to the attention of government agencies and others	The Prince of Wales, patron of the Cathedral Workshops Fellowship, meeting apprentice Cathy Cunningham at a weekly CWF seminar/workshop in Lincoln. The Chapter House has been used as a workshop to display skills to the public.
	• lobbying funding and government agencies to recognise the work undertaken by works departments • establishing a system of self-help and co-operation between cathedrals so that the skills of participating members can be called on to advise or undertake work for other cathedrals • arranging festivals where the skills of cathedral craftspeople can be displayed and appreciated. Workshops containing skilled craftsmen and artisans have always been attached or associated with cathedrals since the construction of the very first buildings of worship. These workshops grew up around a cathedral during its building but, unlike their European counterparts, the British workshops remained, albeit in a smaller form, after the initial construction to continue the cathedral’s maintenance and adornment. Over the years these workshops have become centres of excellence where ancient skills and crafts are preserved, and passed on to others to continue the work. Following the second world war, the craftsmen and women working on cathedrals slowly drifted away to

CONTEXT 102 : NOVEMBER 2007		13



Salisbury Cathedral		and contribute to the repair of historic buildings. There is always the temptation of more money being offered for short-term commercial work which removes skilled craftsmen from the market. Employers must understand the importance of continued professional development in their employees’ training. It is only by developing new skills that a workforce can be used to its full capacity. This must begin with the apprentice, and it should include exchange schemes with other workshops and in-house training in which other cathedrals can also participate. There must be a commitment by all those who need the services of skilled craftsmen to take responsibility for and ensure that proper and appropriate training and rewards are offered. We can not rely on the government to do this for us. Above all, there must be continuity of work so that skills can be passed from craftsman to apprentice or trainee. In my experience there is never a shortage of craftsmen, only a shortage of people prepared to pay for craftsmanship. This responsibility is a long-term commitment, not a short-term means to an end. With an ever-increasing emphasis on conservation work, there is a need for craftsmen with wider experience. In the field of stone masonry and conservation of stonework, this experience and training should cover all aspects of the work from fixing to carving. All entrants should first learn the skills of working stone, and gain knowledge of stone and its structure. They should learn and experiment with the techniques of conservation. The result should be craftsmen who have a better understanding of stonework and who fully appreciate what is expected of them and what they are working with. Entrance to any form of training should be based on an assessment of ability, not on purely academic grounds. A craftsman can produce a beautiful piece of carving without being able to read and write. The evidence for this is contained within the medieval cathedrals and churches we look after today. Workshops should be able to appreciate one another’s problems. A series of exchange visits between workshops should be set up, perhaps with yearly visits by one workshop to another. The present Stone Festival should be extended to include other crafts, and perhaps to become an annual event. Cathedrals are visited by millions of visitors every year, contributing millions of pounds to both the local and national economy. The allocation of a small part of this revenue would go a long way in maintaining our workshops and hence the cathedrals they look after. Eight cathedral workshops out of a total number of 42 cathedrals can not keep all our cathedrals in good repair. We can, however, provide training, expertise and perhaps labour to those cathedrals which can not afford to employ their own workforce. By making use of this ready source of knowledge and skills we will be able to maintain the workforces presently in place, and provide a reliable source of training for those cathedrals wanting to employ their own craftsmen.
Peter Edds is head of buildings and estate at Salisbury Cathedral.	work on rebuilding our towns and cities. This resulted in a deterioration not only of the cathedrals but also of the skills of the craftspeople available to undertake such work. Today only eight workshops remain, from a total of 42 cathedrals, which are able to undertake such work. There are a few outside contractors able to carry out this very specialised work. These are commercial enterprises that generally do not encourage the training of their existing workforces or take up craft apprenticeships. If they do, it is certainly not to the standard required by cathedral workshops. The problem can not be solved in a fluctuating market or in a climate where employers lack the confidence to train employees. It is only in workshops with a continuing programme of work and with the necessary financial backing that comprehensive training can take place. Cathedral workshops, where they exist, provide the correct mix of on-site and workshop training, while at the same time meeting the standards imposed by the government for apprentice training. These workshops provide the right atmosphere and conditions for comprehensive training. But little can be done unless funding is available to increase the amount of training undertaken, and unless the training given through the National Vocational Qualifications syllabus is compatible with that provided by those who continue the training and employ these craftsmen within workshops. English Heritage, for one, has just awoken to the need for additional craftsmen and along with the government is now publicising this. It does not, however, tell us how this training will be paid for or how the training will take place. The existing colleges are certainly not equipped to provide the kind of training needed by cathedrals. A long-term view needs to be taken of the skill requirements over the next 50 years. One must always be aware that even after extensive training there is no guarantee that the person with the skills is going to stay

14	CONTEXT 102 : NOVEMBER 2007