Winchester Cathedral has received initial support from the Heritage Lottery Fund for a £10.5m bid for repairs to the Cathedral fabric and development of a major project.
A grant of £475,000 has been awarded to the cathedral to help fund the development work required to make a full application for the scheme, entitled 'Kings and Scribes – The Birth of a Nation'.
The development project will involve modifications to the South Transept to make the Cathedral's treasures more accessible.
The 12th Century Winchester Bible will be relocated to the ground floor of the transept where it will be exhibited and interpreted to modern standards. An exhibition entitled Decoding the Stones will be mounted on the first floor to enable visitors to learn about the architectural evolution of the building. Further, a unique interactive exhibition will unlock the history and humanise the mortal remains of early English Saxon royals which are preserved in the ornate mortuary chests.
This exhibition will be installed in the Triforium Gallery; entitled Kings and Scribes – The Birth of a Nation it will celebrate the origins of the English nation and its association with Winchester. Three levels will house the three exhibitions. This will transform the visitor experience through the opportunities it will offer for active participation and learning, the latter being met by improved education facilities.
The Cathedral's Receiver General, Annabelle Boyes, said: "We are now in a position where we can realistically look forward to the day when we can undertake urgent major repairs and conservation work on the Cathedral's fabric that will preserve it for future generations. With three new exciting exhibitions planned, in particular Kings and Scribes – The Birth of a Nation will be of national and international importance as it will set out the history of the Cathedral through the stories of the many people who have touched its ancient stones."
Local MP Steve Brine said: "Tourism is worth a great deal to the local economy and many jobs depend on it so this is welcome. I wish the cathedral team well in completing the project and playing an even greater part in Winchester's tourism success story. Good to get some good news for once."
Stuart McLeod, Head of HLF South East, added: "Winchester Cathedral, built on the instruction of William the Conqueror, has weathered both the religious and political storms of over nine hundred years worth of history. We hope very much that this tradition can continue into the future and that the Heritage Lottery Fund's initial indication of support for this conservation project will kick start a wider fundraising programme. Cathedrals are notoriously expensive to look after so we are particularly heartened by plans to get more volunteers involved as well as the desire to widen the range of visitors to the site."