Restoration at Shrewsbury Cathedral

The Liturgical Arts Journal has an article today about the discovery of a series of nineteenth century wall paintings in the cathedral at Shrewsbury. The hope is that they can be conserved and restored as part of a scheme to return the building to its original Pugin design. 

This is a very positive development, and so is the attitude revealed by the spokeswoman for the Bishops’ Conference towards such schemes.

The interior of Shrewsbury Cathedral at present

Image: New Liturgical Movement

The article can from the Liturgical Arts Journal be seen at Shrewsbury Cathedral Conservators Uncover Hidden Gothic Revival Paintings and Tiles  and the BBC News report to which it links can also be seen at Shrewsbury Cathedral conservators find hidden paintings

There is a history of the cathedral in the Wikipedia entry at Shrewsbury Cathedral

Last year the New Liturgical Movement had a well illustrated report about the restoration project showing what was being done and what had been revealed. This can be seen at Another Update from Shrewsbury Cathedral

Such restoration is very positive indeed and cheers the Clever Boy, who reflects upon the thought that those who live the longest will see the most...rather like Evelyn Waugh’s notion of how the medieval effigies in the church by the park gates at Brideshead had seen the sanctuary lamp extinguished and now they had seen it rekindled.