Good tour this morning. On my way home I stopped at the Trinty Great Gate to witness the next installment. Our intrepid caftsman Alec, Carmeron and David have had a busy couple of days. The fully restored right door was rehung yesterday and today it was the turn of the left door to be taken down, cradled and swung onto a waiting flat bed lorry for it’s journey to Exeter and some tlc. A hydraulic crane was on site to assist with the lift which when you consider that each door weighs in at 600kilos is understandable.
One marvels at how our ancestors hung the original doors. I think the engineering skills of the 16th century are sometimes overlooked. Of course they did not have the Health and Safety Executive to contend with but one fears for the welfare of those providing the manual labour!
David explained to me how the restoration involves cutting new wood to fit up against the existing old wood, like a giant jigsaw. Adhesive is used to bind the two parts together. The adhesive obviously needs to form a strong bond but, restorers in years to come will be able to dissolve it without a problem. Stainless steel rods are also used in the repair as the ironwork suffers badly from rusting and deterioration.
Called in at Sainsbury’s Central for some groceries. Queueing at the adjacent till was Clive James, alumni of Pembroke College and world renowned writer and broadcaster who has a house in Cambridge. Never a dull moment in this town!