St. Norbert’s Church in Crowle had been last decorated in the 1990’s. The scheme was uninviting and cold, having a light grey gloss over the brickwork with the windows reveals picked out in a white and red. The Stations of the Cross had an equally discordant scheme. The removal of the wooden dado panelling due to an insect infestation revealed a previous decorative scheme. This discovery prompted an investigation into the decorative history of the interior.
Architectural paint research in addition to on site investigations revealed that the original scheme for the church was provided by the colour of the bricks. A red and yellow brick were used in the construction of the church and these colours were utilised to create an interior design.
The left photograph shows the original red and yellow bricks with a painted red mortar line. The middle photograph shows the original bricks and a later decorative paint finish. The right photograph shows the first painted decorative scheme with a red painted mortar line. Further investigations revealed that some of the brick surface were in poor condition and of poor quality. This may explain why the painted scheme was applied in the first instance. This first painted scheme was to be determined and reinstated.
A red stencilled dado border was discovered, this was to be incorporated into the yellow and red brickwork scheme. Once all information was gained we started to reinstate the scheme in the church. The yellow and red banding was established and reinstated, this was followed by a colour matched red signwritten line being painted
to all mortar lines. The lines are crucial to the design which simply would not work without them. Below are images of the process.
The sanctuary arch mural is not original to the church and was painted later by R. Kirby. The mural was to be conservation cleaned followed by consolidation and retouching as and where necessary. It was interesting to note the crown on the central figure had been constructed of screw bottle tops and coated in a bronze paint.
All doors were given a traditional dark oak woodgrained finish to compliment the historic interior. The Stations of the Cross are an important part of a church interior. The Stations at St. Norberts are original heavy plaster casts and had all been overpainted (see below left). All Stations were given a dark oak woodgrained finish with the pictorial background having a painted faux ivory. The mouldings were ebonised and gilt with real gold leaf. All wording was signwritten, and again, gilt using real gold leaf.
The completion of the decoration and the redecoration of the Stations of the Cross has transformed the church. The congregation now enjoy a unique, warm and inviting space particularly in the natural daylight (see below right).
