Summer Newsletter ’23

Painting

Now that the windows have been fully restored, and preserved for future generations, it is time to think about re-painting the rather shabby looking walls. (Unlike earlier centuries, this only involves the inside of the building - the last of the white painted external plaster appears to have been removed in about 1860, though Dr Richards claims to have found segments below ground level on the medieval footings of the South Wall). The paintwork is particularly bad behind The High Altar, partly due to water ingress through the joints in the coping stones (now re-fixed).

In addition to re-painting the “white” walls, it is intended to restore the Chancel Ceiling to its former state blue with gold stars, to match the one surviving bay above the High Altar:

Sponsor a star

We are now inviting people to sponsor a star - £5 for a small one, and £10 for a large one. (The bell ringers have already sponsored several stars)

Additional painting

In addition, it is hoped to paint the modern woodwork above the Rood Screen. When this was installed in 1926, it was painted, but appears to have been painted over at some unknown later date. However, not only are there old black and white photographs of it, the paint is now showing through, and can be clearly seen close up as shown below:

While re-painting the walls of Church, the various paintings (including The Stations of The Cross) will have to be taken down. Most of the paintings are Victorian “copies” - although the “semi-impressionist” picture above the North Door appears to be an original. However, The Lady Chapel Painting is permanently fixed to the wall with security screws, and cannot be moved. This is 14th or 15th century in date, although parts have been re-painted. The Christ Child was originally found to be sitting up, in X-ray photographs of the painting.