Our recent electrical surveys at Christ Church Cathedral were a little bit out of the ordinary.
The lighting system is installed at high level in the Cathedral, running around the unprotected clerestory walkways. These are a common feature in many ancient ecclesiastical buildings. But while monks may have carefully edged their way round in past centuries, the modern Working at Height Regulations demand a more cautious approach. After formal training and a site induction, we got harnessed and clipped onto the lanyard wire system.
The views from the clerestory are stunning, with a network of walkways, tunnels and forgotten spiral staircases leading off them. A truly secret world, unknown to the tourists walking around the nave. The clerestories also make an ideal route for concealing cabling from below, but are less than ideal for those installing and maintaining the systems. CBG are working with Christ Church and Purcell Architects, to ensure any future planned works reduce the need to access the clerestories, making visits up there that bit rarer.