ONE of the region’s great seats of worship entered a new era yesterday when two long-held projects finally came to fruition.

Ancient Ripon Cathedral took on a 21st-century touch as its new lighting was switched on following a major fund-raising drive.

And at the same time the final delivery was made of new chairs, specifically designed for the cathedral to replace its old 1930s pews.

The cost of the two projects totalled around £800,000 and a special service of dedication for the custom-made "St Wilfrid" chairs is to be held on Easter Sunday at 11.30am.

The service comes as the culmination of the six-month "Vision Project" for the complete rewiring and re-lighting of the cathedral.

And yesterday the lights were turned on in the nave and choir to spectacularly reveals just how the money had been spent.

The £700,000 project was supported by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund as well as by individual donations and events organised by the Ripon Cathedral Development Campaign.

And in keeping with modern thinking environmental sustainability was uppermost in the design of the scheme, with low energy light sources used wherever possible.

North Yorkshire furniture makers Treske of Thirsk had the task of creating the 282 new oak seats, to be known as St Wilfrid chairs.

They will be supplemented by 400 folding chairs which will be known as St Peter seats.

To fund the new chairs, the cathedral held a £100,000 "Chairs and Spares" appeal - and all those who have sponsored a chair have received a personal invitation from the Dean, the Very Reverend Keith Jukes, to attend the Easter Sunday dedication service.

"We are extremely grateful to all those who have given so much towards this major refurbishment of the cathedral," he said.

"Removing the pews, and replacing them with superb oak chairs will give us the flexibility we need for major events."

The cathedral’s old oak pews have all been sold and 14 of them have turned into refectory style tables, again by Treske. Two of the tables have even been delivered to buyers in Japan.

New audio and data cables have also been installed, funded by the Friends of Ripon Cathedral, in preparation for a new sound system to be installed later in the year.