Restoration of the church

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An ambition programme of restoration work is underway to restore the church to its original Victorian splendour. 

Most of the work being undertaken is to the Clayton & Bell frescoes, where water and other damage has been inflicted over the years, causing significat damage to various sections.   

The major part of the work has been the re-instatement of the original designs on the walls of the chancel and sanctuary, having been painted out by ugly blue paint in 1928, thereby destroying the integrity of Clayton & Bell's work.  
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Recent work has seen a complete restoration of the credence table, piscina and sedilia, together with conservation work on two original altar frontals,  various chasubles and vestments and numerous items of silver and brass ware. 
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Click on any photo to view full size. 

Re-instatement of the chancel designs

After three years of planning and preparation the re-instatement of the original designs under the chancel dado which were painted out in 1928 were completed in 2016.  The result is breathtaking and for the first time in almost ninety years we once again see the stunning Clayton & Bell designs.    

The ugly blue which has blighted the chancel and sanctuary since 1928 has finally gone.

The Great Coronas

A very rare photograph from 1874 shows the Great Coronas either side of the high altar.  They were part of the original sanctuary fittings, dating from 1864 and each coronal holds 12 candles. 

In 1925 the coronas themselves were removed and the bases converted into single floor standards.  

After much detective work the coronas were finally tracked down, half buried in soil in the church boiler house.   As you can imagine, they were in a sorry state and we doubted they could ever be restored.  The slide show opposite gives an indication as to their condition.

After the rescue, these once magnificent and original fittings were put into safe storage, with the faint hope that one day they might be restored and re-instated to their place of glory either side of the high altar.

However, that day came on Christmas Eve 2015 when the fully restored coronas once again, after ninety years, flanked the High Altar in a blaze of candlelight

Click on photo to view full size. 

  1. The Sanctuary as it was designed to look
    The Sanctuary as it was designed to look
  2. Almost lost forever
    Almost lost forever
  3. Christmas Eve, 2015
    Christmas Eve, 2015
  4. All the many 100s of small parts gathered together
    All the many 100s of small parts gathered together
  5. Discarded in 1928
    Discarded in 1928
  6. Restored to their former glory
    Restored to their former glory

Click on photo to open slide-show