This ground-breaking project was carried out by Sally Strachey under the direction of Professor Baker in two phases during the 1980s. The objective of this conservation programme to one of the most beautiful Romanesque west fronts in the country was to clean, consolidate, repair and protect the stonework using lime-based techniques with particular attention to the fabulous carvings around the west door. With strong historical evidence of the original rendered surface of the west front, a decision was taken to reinstate the render for both practical and aesthetic reasons; it served to slow down the rate of decay of the ragstone walling whilst also bringing back the original clarity of the elevation with emphasis on the ornate Romanesque features.
