Even though the Bishops Throne had been dismantled during WWII and reassembled afterwards, concerns were raised over gaps in the construction. A complete survey was commissioned by the Dean and Chapter, to illustrate the construction of the throne allowing an informed decision on its safety.
The drawn survey by Peter Ferguson RIBA revealed two interesting aspects not previously understood. The first was that much of the construction in 1313 was based on stone masonry construction. And the second was that the inner central tower and spire were added during the construction of the throne. The throne undoubtedly the greatest independent piece of early 14th century woodwork in Europe, should also be viewed as a polychromed object. As the cathedral has no reliquaries to encourage pilgrimages, the splendour of the Bishops Throne would have added greatly to the stature of the Cathedral to visitors.
