Re-ordering at St Mary’s Church, Windermere
This re-ordering project involved substantial alterations to the interior of this well known Victorian Church in the heart of the Lake District. It was funded by the sale of the Parish Centre, an adjacent building which had fallen into disrepair. The Church was adapted to accommodate most of the displaced functions and to update it generally for modern use as a Church and Community Centre.
The main worship space consisting of the Sanctuary, Chancel and Nave was retained, the pews removed and replaced with upholstered chairs. The two side Aisles were partitioned off with clear glazed Douglas fir screens to create separately usable spaces at each side and a curved corridor was introduced below the window at the west end to link them. The lines of the partitions were set away from the arched stone arcades so that the arcades remained fully within the Nave in order to retain the original character of this space. Uplighting was introduced behind a continuous pelmet above the heads of the arches and this illuminates the pine ceiling (which was already in place and not part of this project). A new altar and communion rail, designed by the local cabinet makers Peter Hall and Son, were located below the central Tower on a new projecting dais to form the focal point of the new worship space.
The South Transept was partitioned from the Chancel and laid out with tables and chairs for refreshments to be served from a new kitchen in the adjacent South aisle. The pipe organ was removed and replaced with a high quality digital instrument and the space in the North Transept re-planned to create a first floor meeting room with toilets on the ground floor. A new heating system and new lighting were installed throughout.
The project was featured in an article for the 100th edition of Church Building Magazine, published in July 2006.
