Scaffolding has gone up on the West Front of Wells Cathedral as work begins on a major conservation project to clean and protect one of the country's most important medieval façades.

The programme, which started at the end of April and is expected to continue until mid-September, will see damaged stonework repaired, decorative details restored, and biological growth removed from the centuries-old surface.

Specialist contractors from Cliveden Conservation — who have worked on previous phases of the Cathedral's restoration — are leading the project. The work includes:

• Cleaning and removing plant growth, algae and pigeon mess
• Repairing and replacing damaged stone, particularly around decorative niches
• Applying lime mortars to rebuild lost sculptural details
• Using a lime-based sheltercoat to protect and unify the surface

A spokesperson for Wells Cathedral confirmed the project forms part of a long-standing cycle of essential repair and conservation, following major works in the 1870s, 1903, the late 1920s and again from 1974 to 1987.

"The stone has deteriorated due to centuries of weathering, biological growth, and historic air pollution," they said. "This phase of work is about carefully assessing each area and providing long-term protection without damaging what remains."

The team will begin with dry cleaning before moving to wet washing and biocide treatment. Importantly, the same craftspeople will carry out both cleaning and repair work — allowing them to assess each statue and carving up close before beginning treatment.

Each element of the West Front will be photographed, documented, and mapped as part of the process. Traces of medieval paint, including red and blue pigment on angel wings, remain visible on some sculptures and will be preserved during the work.

The team hopes that, by the time scaffolding comes down in September, the West Front will not only be better protected but also more visibly appreciated — with its details once again allowed to shine.

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