Taking Up the Pen for St. Mary's
By Barry Richardson
Earlier this year, I read this St. Mary's Re-Awakening blog and saw the call for a new blogger. Given my lifelong fascination with church history, my experiences singing in many English cathedrals when young, my wandering at weekends and on holidays through the churches of the locality, and a genuine love for writing, I eagerly volunteered. And so, here I am, picking up the blogging baton!
I'm no stranger to St. Mary's; I've spent countless hours in its cafe, enjoyed Market Day concerts, visited the Christmas Tree Festival, and simply wandered its ancient structure. Now, I have the extraordinary privilege of donning a hard hat and peering behind the scenes as the Re-Awakening project unfolds.
Dusty Victorian floor tiles
Adding an intriguing personal connection, I strongly suspect a family link to the two Branston-donated windows on the West and North walls. My personal library is already overflowing with books about St. Mary's and other local churches, further fueling my interest.
My initial tours of the site have revealed the incredible care being taken to preserve and protect the structure. You can already see renewed stonework at the skyline, and inside, construction has begun on the internal, self-contained pods for the new café, shop, and learning centre.
The self-contained pod for the new café and toilets is already taking shape
Throughout the building there's extensive use of protective sheeting safeguarding the many memorial stones, plaques, and the organ. What also glares at me is the thick layer of dust coating everything else – testament to the significant cleaning effort that will be needed once the project is complete.
The 16th century roodscreen has been wrapped and protected for the duration of the construction works
I hope this blog will continue to "bring to life" the remarkable work underway. My aim is to offer readers previews and insights into this ambitious project, preserving and extending the life of this amazing building, and getting it match fit for the next phase of its long life.