Video: Incredible bird’s eye views of York Minster

Abseiling conservation work at York Minster. Picture: Ross Parry Agency

The Minster is being restored by specialist stonemasons and craftsman, using abseil equipment.

Camera equipment worn by Heritage Stone Access experts show how they are brought face-to-face with the gargoyles that adorn the highest tower.

Artisans Dan Scott, 30, and Richard Martin, 37, take their lives in their hands for their craft, abseiling down the side of the tower to painstakingly check the structure.

Richard said: “We are specialists in accessing buildings of historic interest using a very modern method. Certainly with the weathering process on this huge tower there is a number of stones that do cause concern.

“What we are doing is giving the Minster the assurance nothing is going to fall off the tower within the next period of time.

“I try to limit it to, say, a 20-year period but in realistic terms it is a 10-year period.

“We do this by defrassing (de-scaling) stone, patching up any exposed breaks and vents in the stone, and pinning stones as well.

“The key factor is to preserve the minster. Stone falling off, the weathering effect on the tower, could potentially cost thousands of punds worth of damage. We are eliminating that risk.”