Fascinating Facts

420 tons of Lead covering 4 acres were used on the roof of Salisbury Cathedral

 

3 Saville Row, the headquarters of the Beatles' Apple organisation was renowned for the theft of objects by casual visitors. This included the Lead from the roof!

 

During the Civil War of Cromwell's time, hundreds of Lead roofs from monasteries and churches were melted down to make musket balls.

 

The traditional tools of skilled Lead workers have some wonderful names including lead dresser, bossing mallet, bossing stick and chase wedge - they are usually made from boxwood and lignum.

 

When Cassanova was imprisoned in the Ducal Palace in Venice, he was held in "The Leads", cells so called because they were under the extensive Lead roof.

 

Lead is a natural metal - the Earth's crust contains an estimated 290 million tonnes of it.

 

In the late 15th century Sir Christopher Wren specified copper for the dome of St Paul's Cathedral at an estimated cost of £3000. The government refused this and insisted on a Lead covering at a cost of £2000 - even then lead was great value!

 

The restoration of the Lead roof of Burghley House started in 1983 and took 10 years.

 

The Lead roof of Furness Abbey was melted down for reuse in 1537 - was this the first evidence of recycling?

 

When Conwy Castle was reroofed in 1346 the timber trusses were replaced with stone arches able to support the weight of the Lead roof - such was the desire to use this durable material