Church restoration may go ahead at your service

Tag : Cast Iron Floor


THE congregation of a crumbling church once championed by Sir JohnBetjeman could be plunged into chaos when work starts on itsbelated restoration.
The vicar at the Church of Our Lady in St John’s Wood hasadmitted he does not know how they will cope when the builders movein to the church which gets around 1,400 worshippers in its pewsevery Sunday.
The work, including the relocation of the organ, levelling of thechurch floor and repainting the 170-year-old columns, is expectedto start at the beginning of next year but, as of yet, there is nocontingency plan in place.
Under current scheduling the church holds two services every day.
Father Allen Morris said the work would not force them out of thechurch. He said: “We will muddle through somehow –it’s certainly going to make services a bit more interesting.
At one point we thought we were going to have to leave but now Ithink we’ll be OK.
Of course it makes me anxious, but the work won’t be going onaround people on a Sunday and we will just have to fit it in aroundour services in the week.”
He has floated the idea of erecting giant screens to hidescaffolding that will be used during painting of the interior– some of which hasn’t seen a lick of paint since thestones were laid in 1833.
Father Morris added: “I am spurred on by how the church willlook when its finished. We’ve been raising money for thiswork for 10 years and it’s an honour that I will be the manto finally see some action.
“At the moment disabled access is poor, the sound quality isterrible and flakes of paint are falling on people’sheads.”
In the 1970s, and in the face of widespread opposition from thecongregation Sir John Betjeman visited the church in Lodge Road tosupport a move to strip the building of its Victorian trappings andrestore it to its more sober Georgian décor. The irony ofthe great defender of Victorian architecture eschewing his usualcast-iron convictions was not lost on Father Morris. He said hehoped to follow in the great man’s footsteps.
He said: “There is an obvious irony there but it wasdefinitely done for the better. What we are doing is carrying onfrom this. It is part of the community and our heritage and we mustdo all we can to preserve that.”
The work is estimated to cost around £750,000. So far thechurch has raised around £550,00 and is hoping to make up thedeficit in time for work to start in the new year.