New Light on Ancient Minster

Seventeen lamps and nearly half a mile of underground cable have been installed by East Midlands Electricity in the contract to floodlight Southwell Minster.

The project was officially switched on by the Chairman of Nottinghamshire’ County Council, Mrs Joan Case on Thursday 25th March.

In the early 1970s EMEB also won the contract to install a complex system of lighting inside the Minster and the completion of the outside floodlighting project means that for the first time in its history all the features of the ancient building, which is a cultural as well as a religious centre for the county, can be seen at the best advantage throughotu the year.

The system is controlled by a combined light sensitive and time switch which turns on the floodlighting automatically at dusk and off at midnight.

Work on excavating 500 metres of trench to carry most of the underground cable began in February this year, and by 1st March all the cables had been installed. On 10th March, the electrical engineers for the Board and the suppliers, Simplex GE, made the final adjustments to obtain the best effect.

The fittings comprise seventeen 400 watt power beam projector lamps, eleven of which cover the front and sides of the Minster. One is adjacent to the Chapter House roof to highlight the clock tower and two are at the east end – one to highlight the east window and the other to light the Chapter House.

A further three fittings have been installed at the rear of the Minster to highlight the clock tower and the other two west towers.