Bespoke slate tiles arrive for Aldershot Cathedral

Bespoke slate tiles complete 300-mile journey to Aldershot for new Catholic Cathedral roof.

A major restoration project at one of Aldershot’s most iconic buildings has reached a key milestone, following the arrival of the first batch of bespoke slate tiles for the new roof at the Catholic Cathedral.

A total of 16 tonnes of slate was transported from the heart of the Lake District and delivered to the site at Queen’s Street in September – a journey of over 300 miles. A further two deliveries are expected during October.

In keeping with the design of the listed building, the distinctive green slate has been procured from Westmorland Quarry.  Slate has been extracted from the Honister Pass site in the centre of the Lake District for centuries and is the same source material as the Cathedral’s original roof, which dates from the late 1800s when the building’s foundation stone was laid by Queen Victoria.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The refurbishment is being funded by Aspire Defence Limited, the company contracted by the MOD under Project Allenby/Connaught, to build and maintain military and community assets in Aldershot and across Salisbury Plain.

Site management and works at the Cathedral are the responsibility of Aspire Defence Services Limited (ADSL), contracting with Southern Counties Roofing Contractors Ltd and Abbey Scaffolding.

Mark Bassett, Project Manager for ADSL, said:

“We are really pleased with the pace of progress on site to date and with the quality of the slate, which will ensure the finished roof retains the striking appearance intended by the building’s original designers.”

The restoration project, which was two years in the planning and began in July, will entirely replace the old Cathedral roof.  Weathered tiles were allowing water ingress to the roof space, creating significant risk of water damage.

Once completed, the new roof will ensure that the historic building remains water tight and preserved for generations to come.