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Relighting a Wren Church in the City of London

An improved lighting scheme, controlled by Eaton's Studio 3 lighting controls, has helped restore the glory of the only Wren church in the City of London, built in the Gothic style.

St Mary Aldermary is a Grade I listed building. There has been a church on the site, close to St Pauls, for over 900 years. The original church was largely destroyed by the Great Fire of 1666. The present church was built between 1679 and 1682 but by the 1990s it was in a dilapidated state - cold and dark, with no modern facilities and with the tower cracking. It was only open once a week. Today, after a six-year renovation programme, it is open three days a week for tourists and those seeking peace from the bustle of the City, there are twice- weekly lunch-time services for City workers and it is becoming a popular venue for weddings

The electrical work was carried out by Vickery Electrical of Witham, Essex working closely with the builders, Bakers of Danbury. Both companies are experienced in work on ecclesiastical buildings. Vickery Electrical is currently working on another installation, in Brentwood Cathedral, which also uses Eaton's Studio 3 lighting controls.    

St Mary Aldermary was lit by ten wrought iron chandeliers either side of the nave. These had been gas lights converted for electric lighting. Molyneux Kerr Architects designed a lighting scheme to retain all the old fittings, adapting them where necessary. They also specified a scene-setting and dimming capability.  

Vickery Electrical removed the chandeliers for renovation by Chelsom of Blackpool who also produced two replica chandeliers for the East end of the church.   In addition to the five downlights in each chandelier, two discrete spotlights are mounted on the supports, one focussed on the fan tracery of the nave ceiling and the other on the ceiling of the adjacent aisle.   Spotlights were installed to the west end of the nave to illuminate the high altar and to the east end of the south aisle to illuminate the altar used for mid-week services.

The Studio 3 lighting controls use three four-channel control plates, one for the chandeliers, one for the chandelier-mounted l.v. spotlights and one controlling feature lighting. Each plate has up/down dimmer buttons for each channel and master buttons to switch all channels fully ON or OFF. The chandeliers are grouped into three groups of four, each group supplied from a separate dimmer channel so that the front, centre and rear of the nave can be lit separately.   The chandelier-mounted spotlights are similarly grouped and there are three separate channels for the feature lighting. The dimmer packs are mounted in the control cupboard with the control panels.

Studio 3 systems provide for different lighting "scenes" to be programmed into the system for "scene recall". Operation of the relevant control adjusts the lighting levels to the pre-set scene but this can be overriden to increase or decrease the lighting levels

"We use Eaton lighting controls whenever we can" says Justin Vickery, Managing Director of Vickery Electrical.  "Eaton's local Sales Engineer, David Rayner, is always willing to help with the design of a suitable scheme".

The Eaton Studio 3 lighting controls and other electrical equipment were sourced through Newey & Eyre. A Memera 2000 MCB distribution board installed with the lighting controls supplies lighting and other services at the West end of the church. Another Memera 2000 MCB distribution board supplies the organ, vestry and other areas at the east end.

The relighting of St Mary Aldermary has been the crowning glory to the painstaking renovation that has taken place over the last six years. The Wren Gothic interior is light and airy during daytime but the lighting comes into its own at night. "Everybody is absolutely thrilled with it" says Rev John Mothersole, Priest in Charge, who has been the driving force behind the project. The programme is supported by the "Friends of City Churches."

 

Eaton MEM website: www.eatonelectrical.com/uk

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