Somerset-based Wells Cathedral Stonemasons are restoring and conserving the 14th century chapel and hall at Winchester College using some of what they believe are the last stocks of Beer stone available.

The College was founded by William of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester and Chancellor to Richard II. He was one of the greatest architectural and artistic patrons of his day and his medieval buildings at the College are still in daily use, mostly for their original purposes.

Stone used in the buildings include Chilmark, from a quarry near Salisbury, and Doulting, from near Shepton Mallet, as well as the Beer stone that Wells believe they are now the only company able to supply having bought up the remaining stocks when the last Beer stone quarry closed in 2004. Wells Cathedral Stonemasons have started the first of a three-phase contract to clean, repair, and restore the medieval chapel and hall.

The cleaning will remove carbon deposits left on the stone by hundreds of years of coal fires. The walls will then be re-pointed with lime mortar and stone repairs made as necessary. The project is scheduled to take 14 months.