A section of the fan vaulting under the tower came down which potentially made the vault unstable and at risk of collapse. This was not a new problem as in 1851 various measures were undertaken to stop the vault from collapsing and at that time a system of metal reinforcement was inserted in the tower: it was only this that stopped the vault from collapsing recently.

The defective parts were replaced piece by piece. In order to stop corrosion of the Victorian ironwork, particularly where it is embedded in the stonework, a process known as cathodic protection was installed which involves the application of a small electric current through the structure. The opportunity was taken to clean and restore the paintwork and the underside of the ribs to the fan vaulting were decorated with gold leaf.