Cathedrals get grants for repairs

Liverpool Cathedral's elevated position causes it to be battered by high winds

The Anglican cathedrals in Liverpool and Manchester are to get a total of nearly �200,000 in grants from English Heritage for renovation work.

The grant for Manchester Cathedral of �143,000 will fund the replacement of the old lead roof over the South Aisle which is splitting.

Liverpool Cathedral is to get �50,000 to repair the copper roofs on the Nave and on the Lady Chapel.

The grants are from English Heritage and the Wolfson Foundation.

Henry Owen John, English Heritage's North West regional director, said: "The region's cathedrals are landmark buildings in every sense of the word, but keeping them in good repair is a massive challenge."

Manchester Cathedral's lead roof needs repairs after it began splitting

Justin Welby, Dean at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, said: "This is a great award for our Great Space.

"It will support our funding of almost �100,000 of essential repairs to two copper roofs - on the Nave and on the Lady Chapel.

"Our cathedral is an important and highly recognisable building on the skyscape of Liverpool.

"As a major tourist attraction and venue it played a significant role in the success of Liverpool's capital of culture year with half a million visitors coming through our doors in 2008.

"The cathedral is in a very elevated position in Liverpool - often battered by high winds - and we are extremely grateful for English Heritage's assistance in preserving this fine building for the city."

A Manchester cathedral spokesman said an inspection in 2007 found that the building's lead roof was splitting.

"The grant is essential in ensuring the long term future of the historic building which has a history dating back to 1215 and has survived the ravages of German bombing in the last war but now needs protection against the ongoing threat posed by bad weather," he said.