Sussex-based specialist stonework and restoration contractors Cathedral Works Organisation (CWO) Ltd have continued their 45th anniversary celebrations with the re-opening of their newly refurbished offices and production facilities in Chichester, Sussex. To honour the occasion the Very Reverend Dean of Chichester Cathedral unveiled a commemorative plaque to staff and guests at the evening event.
CWO’s investment in the newly refurbished premises follows a period of growth for the company. Over the past four years they have doubled in number and turnover. Along with the recent investment in CWO’s offices, the company have also made substantial investment in theiir carving facilities, with the new carving studios boasting a separate clay modelling room, as well as a stone carving room. This enables its carvers to work in a cleaner, quieter environment, more conducive to their craft than working in the main workshop.
Guests at the re-opening event toured the new facilities accompanied by CWO’s expert guides and viewed all production stages from initial design through sawing to hand finishing and carving. Key to the tour was the chance to see stonemasonry demonstrations in the banker shop and the new carving studio carried out by the company's award-winning masons. Guests also saw CWO’s draughtsmen demonstrating their new 3D imaging software.
Adam Stone, Technical Director at CWO, was delighted to show guests CWO’s new equipment and facilities. “Our new 3D imaging software will enable our draughtsmen to show our clients detailed examples of how a finished project will look.”
Bernard Burns, Managing Director of CWO, said: “Today we are looking forward to a positive future as we re-open our newly refurbished offices and production facilities. At the same time, we are celebrating 45 years in the stonemasonry and restoration business, which is an amazing achievement. Key to our success is our staff. Over the last four years we have seen enormous growth, doubling in number and turnover; we’ve scooped an array of awards and worked on some of the most prestigious buildings in the country. With more interesting projects in the pipeline, we are now set for more exciting times ahead.”
CWO have made conserving and repairing the nation’s built heritage a mission of excellence, as they continue to put their specialist stonemasonry and heritage skills to good use in Sussex and neighbouring Kent and Hampshire.
CWO’s work includes restoration work on bridges, castles, churches, country walls, famous schools (including Roedean and Christ Hospital), stately homes (including Petworth House, Goodwood House and Wiston House), conservation of memorial crosses across the South, and restoration work for individuals on bay windows, fireplaces and patios. After an absence of 15 years, CWO are delighted to be back at Chichester Cathedral, their place of origin, where they have started work on the restoration and conservation of the East Cloisters and St Faith’s House.
CWO were originally set up in 1965 by the Dean and Chapter of Chichester Cathedral to carry out a long-term programme of conservation works on the Cathedral. They became independent of the Cathedral in the early ’90s when the busiess was bought by the Osborne Group. A management buy-out in 2006 made CWO the independent company they are today with a staff of almost 100, nine shareholders and a turnover nearing £10million. Most of the team are from the Chichester area and they run a three-year apprenticeship scheme with four or five apprentices at any given time.
CWO owe their fame as historic buildings contractors to their award-winning work on high-profile projects that include restoration work at the Monument in London and the Devereux Tower at the Tower of London (featured in NSS in July 2008 and July this year, respectively), as well as the unusual relocation and reconstruction of Temple Bar. Other recent projects have included Buckingham Palace, the Real Tennis Court at Hampton Court and the restoration and rebuilding of the St Lawrence Jewry Memorial Fountain for the City of London Corporation.
CWO hold the Royal Warrant for Stonemasonry and Restoration Contractors and are respected in the industry for the quality of their training at all levels. In addition to their own apprenticeship scheme, CWO supply the stonemasonry training for the heritage skills apprentices’ programmes run by The Prince’s Trust for the Built Environment and the National Heritage Trust.