St Mary’s Candlemas celebrates re-opening
As a new moon shone above, and the bells rang out, a new chapter in the history of St Mary’s began with the celebration of Candlemass on Sunday, February 1st.
A queue formed outside as Father Jim Barlow welcomed 300 parishioners and guests to the newly renovated church.
St Mary’s has been closed for a year while the nave floor was completely rebuilt. The excavations uncovered old graves and Victorian bodging. ( see my Pulse article here). Not that any trace is visible now after the £1.4 million restoration funded largely from the National Heritage Lottery.
it’s exceeded my hopes
The Candlemass service was led by the Right Rev’d Michael Harrison, Bishop of Exeter. He said it was dangerous to single out individuals from the many who had worked towards this moment, but nevertheless he thanked Craig Warberton, site foreman from Ellis and Co builders and the architects Michael Vaughan and Pete Brown. All three were among the congregation and were delighted to see the church glowing in the light of hundreds of candles.
Craig told me “It’s brilliant. Amazing.”
Michael Vaughan said that Father Jim had been a delight to work with as they guided the scheme through grant applications, planning consents and myriad challenges. One was the discovery that one of the huge pillars was crumbling at the base. Pete Brown explained that once the team had worked out how to scaffold the structure they were able to remove half of the base and rebuild it. “Then we could relax!” he laughed.
New doors in the north and south lobbies have been installed , with beautiful glass doors decorated with symbols echoing the ancient wooden front doors, which are still there. “it’s great to see it in the flesh,” Michael said after the service.
The aim of the Uplift! Project, as the whole scheme is called, was to renovate the building – the history of which stretches back a thousand years – but also to bring the community in. Not just church goers, but the whole town. Many who listened to the magnificent organ playing of Ian Curror and the singing of the choir had come to be part of a significant moment for Totnes.
Next to me was Christine Roffey and her husband Alan. Mrs Roffey is president of Totnes W.I. “I had to come to this because it seemed so special. It’s beautiful. An historic moment,” she said, And Alan revealed that one of the old pews from the church has been acquired by Totnes Museum, where he is a volunteer.
And how does Father Jim feel now his church is warm, comfortable and safe for the next thousand years? “Awesome! I’m delighted with the way it’s worked out, it’s exceeded my hopes. it’s retained all the character and made it even better.”