St Mary’s in transition

By Barry Richardson

My latest visit to St Mary’s reveals a church in transition. As the materials that have been stored on site are consumed, spaces are beginning to be cleared. It is a real transition stage, complete with emergence and intent.

Photograph by Oscar Canavan-Rossin, Year 1 student on the UAL Level 3 Diploma in Creative Media Production and Technology at Lincoln College, Newark College.

Two new pods

Two new pods, at the West end, are starting to assert their internal and external character as final fixes are underway. St Mary’s is the sixth largest parish church in England, but within this vast frame, these additions nevertheless succeed in making a bold architectural statement.

The new café pod with accessible toilets to the rear.

The café kitchen hums with professional kit, ready to serve not just coffee but community.

The Magnus Room gives a modern yet dignified presence in the north aisle.

The Magnus Room is taking shape too, with clever use of internal space for lighting, storage, and seating.

These new facilities aren’t built into the structure, but carefully placed within it. They also reuse what they cover — tiling, textures — so the church’s character flows into them. 

With attention to detail and continuity too, the Magnus Room reuses the tiling that previously occupied this space.

Transepts renewed

In the transepts, renewed flooring flows smooth and level from the extended Crossing, with no steps or barriers. Extensive new storage facilities are in the final stage of construction in the North Transept. Additionally, with cleaning works now underway, monuments and art that have been covered for the past 12 months will be revealed again.

Harmony restored in the South Transept, with internal scaffolding removed.

Relevance reasserted

This stage of the Reawakening is not merely about repair or refurbishment. It is the manifestation of a deliberate transition, the reawakening of St Mary’s for the century ahead. What emerges is a sacred medieval space, provisioned for accessibility, refreshment, and education. As the internal scaffolding falls away, the aisles open wide once again, and new structures stand with dignity and architectural clarity. In line with the project’s objectives, heritage is being safeguarded, facilities are being renewed, and St Mary’s continues to take its place at the heart of the community through education and inclusion.