York Minster - Repair Work

Here is a section of the Minster that has been repaired and refurbished with new stonework.

The left hand photo shows new blocks that have been cut and shaped ready to be inserted whilst the right hand photo shows sections that have been removed because they are highly eroded. York Minster is made from Magnesian limestone which is easier to work than normal limestone. Magnesian limestone also has the disadvantage that it is slightly more soluble than ordinary limestone and so with slightly acidic rainfall over the years the stonework slowly dissolves and erodes. In the second row from the right you can see the heavy erosion on the sixth block back. For a closer look, click on the photograph to see a larger version in the Picasa web album.