The East Cloister Project

Gloucester Cathedral has begun a carefully planned twelve-year conservation programme to secure the future of the Great Cloister, one of the most important medieval spaces in the world. The first phase focuses on the East Walk, where urgent repairs are needed to protect historic stonework, roof structures and stained glass.

The Great Cloister is a place many people know and love, whether as a space for quiet reflection, a highlight of a Cathedral visit, or as the Hogwarts corridors in the Harry Potter films. It is also a unique piece of world heritage. If we do not act now, parts of this extraordinary medieval fabric could be lost.

Donate today to join a community of supporters helping to safeguard the Great Cloister for future generations.

Built in the late fourteenth century, Gloucester Cathedral’s Great Cloister contains the earliest known example of fan vaulting anywhere in the world. This architectural breakthrough helped shape the future of English Gothic design. The Cloister’s soaring cone shaped vaults were crafted from thousands of precisely cut stones by medieval masons, demonstrating extraordinary innovation and skill.

Today, the Cloister remains a place of stillness, beauty and wonder. It is also recognised worldwide as a filming location, including as the Hogwarts corridors in the Harry Potter films, bringing new audiences into contact with this remarkable heritage.

Why action is needed now

A Quinquennial Inspection in 2019 identified serious deterioration, later confirmed through conservation trials. Much of the damage is linked to earlier repairs, particularly hard cement based pointing and patching introduced in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. These materials are incompatible with medieval limestone. They trap moisture, prevent the stone from breathing and accelerate decay.

There is also an urgent issue with the roof. Sections rebuilt in the 1960s incorporate reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, now known to have a limited lifespan. If not replaced, the roof cannot be relied upon to remain safe or watertight. This places both the historic stonework and the Cloister’s nineteenth century stained glass and leaded light glazing at increasing risk.

This work is required now to address identified risks and to ensure the long term care of the Cloister.

What the work will involve

Phase One focuses on the East Walk and includes conservation of the roof, stonework, stained glass and rainwater systems, including:

• Replacement of failing roof structures, including the removal of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete

• Removal of damaging cement repairs and replacement with breathable lime mortars

• Careful, restrained conservation of medieval stonework and vaulting

• Specialist conservation of stained glass and leaded light glazing

• Repairs to rainwater goods to improve long-term protection of the fabric

This is highly skilled work carried out with care and restraint. Historic stone will be replaced only where absolutely necessary, with every intervention informed by detailed surveys and conservation best practice.

The Great Cloister Project is about more than conserving stone. It is about people, skill and continuity.

At Gloucester Cathedral, conservation is carried out by an in-house team of stonemasons who combine traditional craft skills with careful research and modern conservation knowledge. Working in one of England’s most important medieval spaces, they safeguard the Cathedral’s fabric while passing on the skills needed to care for it in the future.

What this means in practice:

• Skilled master and senior stonemasons lead the work on site

• Three apprentices will be trained during the East Walk phase

• At least twelve apprentices will gain experience across the full twelve-year programme

• Apprentices learn through live conservation work, guided by experienced craftspeople

• Rare heritage skills are actively used, taught and sustained for future generations

Together, masters and apprentices form a living tradition, ensuring the Great Cloister remains both a place of conservation and a place of learning.

Our Heritage Learning and Impact Framework

Looking after the Great Cloister is about much more than carrying out repairs. It is also about helping people connect with this extraordinary place, learn new skills and understand how historic buildings are cared for.

To make sure the East Cloister Project delivers real benefits for people as well as the building, Gloucester Cathedral uses a Heritage Learning and Impact Framework. This framework helps us plan what we do, understand who we reach, and measure the difference the project makes.

The framework brings together everything that sits alongside the conservation work, including:

• Learning opportunities for schools and young people

• Activities for families and local communities

• Training and career pathways for apprentices and craftspeople

• Experiences that help visitors and volunteers understand the Cloister and its care

It sets clear aims for each area and helps us track both the reach and the quality of our work. We do this by combining numbers such as attendance, participation and digital engagement with feedback from teachers, visitors, apprentices and volunteers, so we can understand what people take away from their experience.

Using this framework means we can be open and accountable about our impact and continue to improve how we share the story of the Great Cloister. It helps ensure that this remarkable space remains welcoming, relevant and meaningful for everyone, now and in the future.

Project timeline

The East Cloister Project will take place between autumn 2025 and summer 2027. This is the first phase of the wider Great Cloister Project, a twelve year conservation programme running from 2025 to 2037.

The programme begins with urgent repairs to the East Walk from 2025 to 2027. This will be followed by conservation work to the South Walk from 2027 to 2030, the West Walk from 2031 to 2033, and the North Walk including the Dark Entry from 2034 to 2037.

Each phase will include careful repairs to stonework, glazing and roof structures, supported by detailed surveys, conservation of historic features and improvements to rainwater management. This phased approach allows work to be carried out with care while supporting apprenticeships, education and public engagement over the life of the programme.