Gelder Group is proud to announce a new partnership with Lincoln Cathedral to host its purpose-built stone-cutting facility at the company’s head office site in Sturton by Stow.
The new facility marks a major step forward in supporting the long-term restoration and conservation of Lincoln Cathedral, one of the UK’s most important historic landmarks. Following the closure of the Cathedral’s quarry and stone-cutting facility on Riseholme Road over four years ago, securing a suitable location to continue this vital work became a key priority for the Cathedral. Through collaboration with Gelder Group, this important craft can now continue to be delivered in-house, using locally sourced stone where possible.
Historically, Lincoln Cathedral was the only cathedral in the UK to own its own quarry and stone source. This new facility ensures the Cathedral retains control of how the material is prepared and used in its restoration works.
The purpose-built unit provides a dedicated space for the preparation and cutting of raw stone into dimensional masonry, ready for use in both current and future conservation projects. It has been equipped with state-of-the-art machinery, including:
- A primary saw for cutting raw stone blocks into manageable sizes
- A secondary saw for turning larger blocks into precise dimensions, before being passed to the Cathedral workshops for detailed masonry and carving
- A slurry processing unit to convert waste slurry from the cutting process into compressed slurry bricks, supporting more sustainable working practices
Steve Gelder, Managing Director of Gelder Group, said:
We are extremely proud to support Lincoln Cathedral by providing a home for their new stone-cutting facility at our head office. The Cathedral is an iconic part of our region’s heritage, and to play a role in preserving it for future generations is something that means a great deal to us as a Lincolnshire-based company. This partnership reflects our commitment to supporting local heritage, skills and craftsmanship, and we are delighted to be working alongside the Cathedral team on this important initiative.
Mark Wheater, Director of Estates and Facilities at Lincoln Cathedral, added:
The new stone-cutting facility represents a major step forward in our future restoration and conservation programmes. By investing in this essential resource, we are enabling our works department to carry out projects with the highest level of precision and care, safeguarding this extraordinary building for generations to come. The facility will play a vital role in ensuring the Cathedral remains structurally sound and visually magnificent, supporting both its role as a place of worship and as a heritage site that welcomes visitors from across the world.
The facility also supports the continuation of traditional stonemasonry skills that have been passed down through generations, ensuring that vital heritage crafts remain active and accessible for the future.
