£650K project to save Furness Abbey given the go ahead

English Heritage have confirmed that they are set to begin work on Furness Abbey in the late Summer in an effort to preserve the historic site.

The project, costing £650k will be the next step in a 10 year programme that will ensure the long term stability and safety of Furness Abbey’s presbytery, as well as the conservation of three other highly significant areas of the site, including the West Tower, East range and Infirmary.

The work is said to last 12 months as they aim to address issues with the structural stability.

Cllr Bill McEwan said: “I suppose people will say ‘well they can spend the money on better things’ and yeah I tend to agree on certain things but in this case it is part of preserving it for the youth of today and tomorrow.

“If the money is available it is good to keep it going. If they could turn it into something more, such as a festival space with Shakespearian plays, and things like fencing and crafting it would be good.

"I do think that it is worth putting the money into.”

A crack in the presbytery wall was first noticed in 2008 and the first phase of works involved the installation of a temporary steel cradle to ensure no further damage occurred.

Archaeological excavation around the base of the structure followed to establish the cause of the problem and develop a solution. Between 2012 and 2015 underpinning work took place to the north, south and eastern walls of the Presbytery. Now, in what is hoped will be the final phase of conservation works, grout will be injected into the rubble-filled cavity between the walls. This work will greatly increase the structure’s stability.

Furness Abbey reopened to visitors on July 4. Residents who pay Council Tax in Barrow are eligible for free entry however pre-booking is essential for all visitors.

Mark Douglas, English Heritage’s Property Curator North, said: “Furness Abbey is one of the most significant monastic sites in Northern England and this work will go a long way to ensure people can continue to enjoy the site for years to come. Being able to see these works take place on site over the coming months offers a unique opportunity for visitors to actually see these expert conservation techniques in action.”