Page 27 - LOTN Spring Issue 49 2022

FAITH AND CULTURE

the whole is dominated by a bold Gothic arch over, which
frames the Sanctuary and the High Altar beyond. Side altars
within the aisle volume, installed in 1882 to celebrate twenty-
five years of use, are dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes in
the north aisle and St Joseph in the south. To complete the
composition of this wall, at the base of the overflying arch,
statues of the Sacred Heart and St Peter stand sentinel.
The floors to the church, including the entrance area, aisles,
and sanctuary, are of solid construction, with the areas of floor
below the pews being hung and finished in timber flooring.
The pews themselves are timber and in the best tradition,
spartan and uncomfortable.
The magnificent organ was built from the downtakings of
the great organ in the Abbey of Fort Augustus.
From the end of the nave, five steps, one at the Communion
rail followed by the others in groups of two, elevate the main
Sanctuary area above the church floor. A very fine and unusual
communion rail built in coloured ornamental marble separates
the Nave from the Sanctuary. The main altar in highly
ornamented Neo Tudor Gothic style has been repositioned to
suit the new tenets and faces the congregation at the first level.
A further three steps built in oak creates the plinth where the
repositioned altar was previously located. The splendid reredos
which backed the altar, divided into five sections, the central
one for the Blessed Sacrament and the other four containing
medallions of Saints Peter and Paul, John the Baptist, and The extended Sanctuary
Columba, is made of Caen Stone. The workmanship on this internally by the change in pattern of the ceiling rafters,
piece of work is particularly impressive. necessitated the removal of the existing rose window, then in
Within the Sanctuary on the flanking walls are pictures the original gable, and its repositioning in the new gable.
painted directly onto the plaster. These frescos represent Peter It is interesting that the whole gable wall was not removed
walking on the water (west wall) and Christ calming the Storm when the Sanctuary was being extended. It would have been
(south wall). These honest and robust pictures lay hidden constructionally somewhat simpler. What is there, however,
behind a coat of paint until rediscovered and restored by the is the better answer and we should be grateful to the designer
then incumbent priest Father Edward Traynor. The Sanctuary who rightly decided that the soaring arch formed in the
is divided into two spaces by an intermediate wall and Gothic original gable wall, though more complicated, was more
arch. This intermediate wall once marked the extent of the effective visually than the introduction of a timber truss. At
Sanctuary, but in 1906, inspired by the then incumbent priest the same time as the other work was progressing, the baptistry
Father McIntosh, the Sanctuary (designed by Charles Ménart) previously mentioned was built at the base of the South
was extended to its present size and the new high altar and Steeple. All this and other works of ornamentation such as
reredos were installed. This extension which can be registered the finishing of the Sanctuary floor in black and white marble
paving was completed in
time to celebrate the fiftieth
anniversary of the church, in
a service officiated by Bishop
Chisholm.
To the south side of the
Sanctuary and enclosed by
the side aisle wall is a meeting
room with access from inside
and out. To the north side of
the Sanctuary and infilling the
space between Sanctuary and
presbytery house is the sacristy
linking through from the house
to church. The Presbytery
abuts this on the north-west
corner. During the life of the
church much work has been
The rediscovered frescos representing Peter walking on the water and Christ calming the storm done to embellish the interior,
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