Pews ‘seated’ for opening

Stripped back to their original wood, and stained to match the beautifully crafted ceiling, the old pews have taken on a new lease of life with a little coaxing from some master craftsmen.

Hanging overhead are four large retractable side aisle screens and above the central space is one enormous video screen linked to a state-of-the-art audio-visual package for use during services and for video presentations.

“These are the original pews, not new ones. They have been stripped right back to their natural colour. Over the years they have been stained and varnished and the colour got very dark and unnatural, now they have been stripped they are more in keeping with the Oregon pine that has been used to replace the ceiling. The church now looks as it would have looked 150 to 200 years ago, and it has been restored so sympathetically, so while we have modern lighting, heating and technology, the furnishings in the building really are what they would have been when the church came into being at the time of the Siege,” says First Derry Minister, Rev Dr David Latimer.

Once it has been re-opened the church itself will not just be used as a sacred space used for prayer and praise on a Sunday, Rev Dr Latimer said: “It’s secondary role is as a shared space for the city and will be open for tours. The church and the interpretive centre will be a venue for the tens of thousands of tourists that come into the city to become acquainted with the story that is part of the city.”

Stressing the role of the Presbyterians within Londonderry, and the preparations that have gone into gearing up for an influx of tourists, Rev Dr Latimer said the traditional blue carpet was replaced with an ornate tile floor matching the vestibule, which included a Burning Bush mosaic.