Major £2m upgrade announced for Exeter Cathedral

A historic cathedral is set for a multi-million pound overhaul of its sound and lighting systems following the largest single grant in a local charity's history.

The Friends of Exeter Cathedral has pledged £2m to replace "failing" infrastructure within the building’s nave.

The Dean of Exeter said the current sound system was a source of "endless disappointment" for visitors. Work on the project is expected to begin in June.

The grant, provided by the independent charity founded in 1929, is intended to make the 11th-century building more accessible for services, concerts, and community events.

Dr Rosemary Yallop, Chair of the Friends, said the group was "unanimous" in its decision to fund the project despite the scale of the investment.

"It is the largest single grant which we have made," she said. "We feel sure that our members... will be proud to have enabled it."

The Very Revd Jonathan Greener, Dean of Exeter, admitted that technical issues had become a significant burden for the cathedral’s administration.

"Inability to hear is currently the source of endless disappointment and complaints which end up in the Dean’s inbox," he said.

He added that modern mobile work platforms would allow the installation to proceed with "minimal disruption" to the cathedral's daily life.

The Friends of Exeter Cathedral currently has around 2,700 members worldwide. The charity's previous contributions to the site include:

• 2024: Completion of the Friends’ Cloister Gallery.

• Recent years: New lighting for the 13th-century Chapter House.

• Ongoing: Funding for stonemasonry and the extraction of local repair stone.

The new nave project follows the successful completion of the Cloister Gallery last year, marking a continued period of modernisation for the Devon landmark.