Arundel’s skyline restored after spire installed

The cathedral was fitted with its brand-new flèche, or spire, last week, after 10 months of waiting.

A spokesman for the cathedral said: “At the end of September last year, Arundel Cathedral flèche was craned off the building and taken away for refurbishment, leaving a skeleton scaffold structure in its place as a rather ghostly outline on the building.”

The original aim had been to re-cover the existing steel framework in lead, more akin to the original timber and lead structure.

“After opening up the GRP cladding and accessing the steelwork at high level from the scaffolding for the first time, it became clear that the steel frame had rusted through so badly that re-use would have been impossible,” he said.

“It is the construction of a whole new flèche which has been the cause for such a long delay of its reinstatement, originally anticipated for March.”

The new spire was craned into position, in three parts, including the refurbished bell, last week, after being transported from Somerset.

The operation required part of London Road to be closed for much of Wednesday and Thursday.

The spokesman added: “It is estimated that the final finishes and closing-up works of the flèche will take a further few weeks before scaffolding can be finally removed in August, before which the Diocese will have a topping-out ceremony, with the Bishop of Arundel and Brighton attending.”