| |
St Mary Magdalene Church in Rowington Close |
Heritage fund grant is manna from heaven
Lottery money will illuminate a church painting not seen in living memory
“AND God said let there be light, and there was light” is one passage from the Bible that has been troubling Father Henry Everett.
Ever since he has been the parish priest at St Mary Magdalene Church in Paddington, the lighting situation has been so bad, that neither he nor any of the congregation has been able to see the painting on the ceiling.
But soon the guesswork will be over because the Grade I-listed church has just received a grant from the English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund to install chandeliers and uplights that will finally reveal the mystery of the painting.
Father Everett said: “In theory we know what’s up there because we have some pictures but nobody in living memory has ever seen it.
“It is supposed to show 12 saints, one for each month of the year, but what with the dirt and light, it’s impossible to see.
“The roof is 60ft high and we will need to get scaffolding up there.
“The wiring hasn’t been touched since the 1920s and it’s quite dangerous. We’re looking at a design for hanging chandeliers, but haven’t quite decided on the style.”
Built by the Grand Union Canal in Rowington Close in 1865, the church is the most “at risk” Grade I-building in Westminster.
In recent years the building has become very popular among film-makers because of its spectacular and vast crypt, featuring in The Constant Gardener (2005), the yet to be released fantasy film Franklyn (2009), and, most famously, the site of Mr Myrtle’s suicide in the BBC’s recent adaptation of Charles Dickens’s Little Dorrit.
The church has received £215,000 – one of seven places of worship in London awarded money for repairs and work is due to start after Christmas.
The New West End Synagogue in Bayswater is the only other building in Westminster to receive money.
One of only three Grade I-listed synagogues in England, the £108,000 grant will be put towards repairing the roof.
Rabbi Geoffrey Hisler said: “We are extremely grateful to receive this grant. It is not just important to our Jewish community but important to the whole of England to have historic buildings, like our magnificent synagogue, that we can be proud of.
“We are open to the public ever day and receive hundreds of visitors every week from all over England and abroad.”
Paddy Pugh, English Heritage’s planning and development director for London, said: “London’s places of worship are important and inspiring buildings.
“They are valued assets in our communities but without doubt, face some very real challenges.
“These grants will fund urgent repairs so that these wonderful buildings which are so central to this country’s shared heritage can, perhaps most importantly, remain in active use.” |
 |
|
|
| |
| |
