Leicester Cathedral stands on a site where people have gathered to worship for nearly 2,000 years. Price & Myers worked with van Heyningen and Haward Architects to help deliver the Cathedral’s vision: to create a space that supports worship, heritage, pilgrimage, hospitality, learning, sanctuary and celebration. This was achieved through two key phases of work, the first focused on reordering the Cathedral interior, the second on a new Passivhaus-standard extension for the Heritage and Learning Centre.
Phase One of the masterplan was the reordering of the interior of the Grade II* listed cathedral as part of the reinterment of Richard III. Central to the works was the replacement of the impermeable Victorian concrete slab with a breathable limecrete floor across the crossing, sanctuary, chapel and chancel. Limecrete allows moisture to pass through the floor rather than the walls and piers, helping to preserve the historic masonry. Archaeological excavations beneath the cathedral floor uncovered numerous burials and crypts and alterations were carefully designed to accommodate archaeological findings as they emerged, ensuring the cathedral remains accessible, welcoming, and open to all visitors.
Phase Two of Leicester Cathedral Revealed involved the construction of a new Passivhaus-standard extension to house the Cathedral’s Heritage and Learning Centre. The new building, which includes a two-storey basement within the churchyard, sits alongside the Grade II* listed cathedral and provides an exhibition gallery and flexible learning spaces for schools and community groups. Excavation for the basement in the graveyard was meticulously agreed and carried out with the Archaeologists to maximise the historical information uncovered. During the dig over 1,100 burials were encountered, dating from the 11th to the 19th century, as well as the remains of a Roman shrine.
This phase also continued the internal reorganisation of the cathedral itself, including the installation of a breathable limecrete floor over the rest of the cathedral footprint, supporting long-term conservation and sustainability.
