ALL SAINTS MARGARET STREET
New South Aisle Screen
The new screen, designed by Colin Kerr, is much lower than the old screen to allow an unimpeded view of the window over the vestry door and also obliquely into the sanctuary. Butterfield's spatial quality of the east end of the church is thereby restored. The ironwork design of this new screen is derived from the Butterfield-Potter precedent behind the choir stalls. The deep red colour of the new screen may come as a surprise but this has been based on thorough analysis of the underlying paint layers on the iron screens to the sides of the chancel by Catherine Hassall, who is a specialist in this field. Her analysis established that the screens have been decorated five times. The first scheme was dark red based on pure red iron oxide with some gold leaf applied. The second scheme was bright red based on vermillion mixed with red ochre with more extensive gilding to both sides of the screens. The latter three schemes were in black with the amount of gilding reduced. When the original screens to the sides of the chancel are restored to their original glory then the gilding may be extended to the new screen over the brass elements.
The installation of the new screen is part of the ongoing restoration and improvements to the south chancel aisle which were commenced five years ago in 2002 with the renewal of the Butterfield decorative scheme to the walls and the decoration of the previously unpainted pipes of the 1910 organ. We are now so familiar with the painted organ pipes and indeed they are so wholly congruous in their setting as to appear to be none other than a part of the original design of the church. For the new screen and the organ pipe decorative scheme we are greatly indebted to Colin Kerr for his sensitive and informed design which entirely respects Butterfield's masterpiece.
The works to the south chancel aisle will only be fully completed once it is possible to relocate the large mains electrical distribution boards for the church currently hidden behind the dull red curtain to the side of the vestry door. This can only be undertaken as a part of the complete rewiring of the church and renewal of the lighting installation when the lighting controls can be rationalised.
Two tenders for the iron screen were received. The quotation of £39,980.00 submitted by B. Levy & Co (Patterns) Ltd of Westminster was accepted and the screen has been manufactured in their workshops in Barking. The screen has actually been made from mild steel, as wrought iron material is now extremely costly and difficult to obtain. The construction of the diagonal trellis work follows the Butterfield-Potter precedent of cutting and interlocking the straight bars which is more of a woodwood technique but gives very sharp straight lines. The decorative elements of the new screen have been made of cut and pressed brass. An attempt to cast these decorative elements was rejected, as it did not reflect the crispness of the original Potter screens.
It is good that we have been able to support the continuance of these metalwork craft skills within Greater London at a time when an increasing proportion of the capital's economy is devoted to the service industries.
The new screen has been erected in memory of Helen Clayton who died four years ago in November. The Trustees of All Saints' Foundation are funding this project out of a legacy received from Miss Clayton's estate.
John Forde, Churchwarden