HEREFORD CATHEDRAL - CHESTER CATHEDRAL
&
TEWKESBURY ABBEY
Many of our fine old Cathedrals and Abbeys from the mid-Victorian period onwards  were heated by Warm Air Stoves made mostly by two firms, 

John Grundy   (Grundy)              and

The London Warming and Heating Company     (Gurney).

Sadly, few of these church buildings have kept their original stoves. Mostly they have been removed and replaced by modern day wet heating systems.  However, two Cathedral  Churches which have kept and still use their (Gurney) warm air stoves are Chester and Hereford,  and also included is Tewkesbury Abbey.

Sir Goldsworthy Gurney designed and patented his stove when he was Goldsworthy Gurney originally from Bude in Cornwall. His Patent application No. 1468 was dated the 23rd June 1856 and titled "Certain Improvements in Warming and Moistening Air"

His stove was originally designed to stand in a shallow base trough of water which when heated was intended to evaporate and moisten the atmosphere inside the building being heated. The stove was designed to burn antracite and thus provide a cheap source of heat.

Charles Sumner and Robert William Kennard both with an address in the City of London filed on 13th February 1861 an Amended Disclaimer and Memorandum of Alteration  to the Gurney Patent and were given the sole privelige to make, use, exercise and vend Gurney's invention for a period of 14 years.  An Indenture was made between Goldsworthy Gurney, the London Warming and Heating Company Limited, Charles Sumner and Robert William Kennard dated 8th July 1858.

HEREFORD CATHEDRAL

 


Hereford Cathedral
originally had four of the largest size Gurney stoves which were supplied and fitted by Messrs Bennett & Brown
a Hereford firm. 

Their tender  sum of £240 was accepted by the Dean and Chapter on 25th June 1867. On 2nd November 1931 a fifth second hand Gurney stove was bought from St Asaph's Cathedral for £25. All five stoves were converted to
gas firing in 1989.

 

TEWKESBURY ABBEY


 
Tewkesbury Abbey
has two  Gurney Stoves which were installed  circa. 1875 when the Abbey underwent a major restoration by the Architect George Gilbert Scott. The stoves  were converted to gas firing in 1987.





CHESTER  CATHEDRAL
 




    

  One of the Gurney gas fired warm air stoves fitted in the side aisle.


  A second gurney stove can just be seen  in the background close to the archway.







Another example of the Gurney stoves.


This one is fitted with a fan diluted flue system to facilitate the removal of
the flue gases.



Footnote.   Salisbury and Worcester Cathedrals although now both heated by a new wet heating system, 
have kept for display purposes only,  one
of their original Gurney warm air stoves.


Anyone visiting the National Tram Museum in Crich Derbyshire has an excellent opportunity to view a Gurney Stove in a wonderfully restored condition.                    

The Gurney stove is on display as one exhibit in the Museum's Victorian Trade Exhibition.

This Gurney stove was removed from Chichester Cathedral in 1958 and was then in the safe hands of Neville Brown until he gave it to Heritage Group member Paul Yunnie, who in turn donated it to its now permanent home at the National Tram Museum

  CIBSE HERITAGE GROUP
  OCTOBER  2002