Repairs restart at fire-hit chapel

Work to restore a fire-damaged Grade II* listed chapel and school has restarted after owls were found nesting in its roof.

The Junior Seminary Chapel of St Aloysius at the former St Cuthbert's College, County Durham, was seriously damaged in a suspected arson attack in July 2023.

Repairs had originally begun in June, before the birds were found and work had to be paused.

Ushaw, the independent charity which operates the site, said it hoped the work would "protect the building from further damage".

The current phase of work, which is being funded by a £400,000 grant from Historic England, is expected to be completed by January 2025.

The fire seriously damaged the chapel roof, as well as the adjacent former college buildings.

Durham Constabulary said an investigation into the blaze had been closed, pending new information due, to "insufficient evidence".

Ushaw said the fire had been "devastating" and further damage had been caused by recent storms.

Lucy Jenkins, Ushaw's co-chief executive officer, said the charity was "confident in making progress to protect the building from further damage".

The roofs and masonry of both buildings will be repaired, and a temporary roof put up to prevent further damage to the decorative plasterwork inside the chapel.

The site - also known as Ushaw Historic House, Chapels and Gardens - is about two miles (3km) west of the city of Durham.

It now operates as a tourist attraction, estate, cafe and place of worship since the college closed in 2011.

Follow BBC North East on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].