ABSTRACT
Winchester Cathedral is not only famous for its size and magnificent Gothic architecture but also for the underpinning work that was carried out between 1905 and 1912. This work ran into a number of serious problems due to a high-water table and poor ground conditions. The former meant that the underpinning work had to be carried out by a diver, William Walker, who has become a legend for his heroic work. The need for the underpinning work has seldom been questioned and the purpose of this paper is to examine the evidence on which this key decision was taken. The lessons learned are important for civil engineers and architects called in to advise on the need for the stabilisation of historic buildings and monuments.
