New light is being shone on historic Durham Cathedral after the completion of a revamp
project.
A team, including officers from Durham County Council, has been working carefully to
develop the site’s new external lighting scheme, which is more energy efficient and
reduces carbon emissions thanks to the latest LED technology.
Working alongside the cathedral and Thorn Lighting, the high-quality creative scheme has
been developed using energy efficient floodlighting installations and state-of-the-art control
systems. The programme of works is the first phase of a larger project which will also see
the renewal of lighting at Durham Castle in the future.
This new scheme enables operators to control the colour of the lighting. This will allow the
cathedral, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to respectfully mark ceremonies and
key events throughout each year, such as Remembrance Day.
Cllr John Shuttleworth, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for rural communities
and highways, said: “We’re delighted with the new lighting system and I’m sure many
people will be visiting the iconic cathedral to see it illuminated so brilliantly on an evening,
enhancing our night-time visitor experience.
With Durham Cathedral and Castle being a UNESCO World Heritage site, the project has had to be carefully managed throughout and the results speak for themselves. As well as
giving new perspectives, it will help the cathedral to better mark moments of national significance such as The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations as well as complementing
our bid to be named UK City of Culture 2025.”
Maya Polenz, chief officer of property at Durham Cathedral, said: “This new system allows
us to once again showcase the cathedral in all its glory, as an icon of worship, history and
heritage on Durham’s landscape.
“We are grateful to Durham County Council for the investment, which will enable a
reduction in our carbon footprint whilst enabling the building to be fully illuminated again.
“We’ll be putting the new lights into action very soon, as on Monday 11 April we will light
the cathedral blue and yellow in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, and all those who are
impacted by war.”
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