40
BCD SPECIAL REPORT ON
HISTORIC CHURCHES
21ST ANNUAL EDITION
a fine altar. It may be that the choir is only
present in the choir stalls during some services,
so it makes sense to light the stalls only at
these times and to let them be less visible
when empty. At times the west end and the
area around the font may be the centre of an
event, while at others it may be the chancel.
If performances are regularly held in front
of the chancel, then the lighting installed in
this area can be used to create a concert-hall
atmosphere. The seating area needs to be
brightly lit while the audience members find their
seats, but the performance area may be dimly
lit to give a feeling of expectation. When the
out into other areas. If bright modern lights
are used they should generally have narrow
beams so that they only light a specific area.
It is easier to reduce glare by using fittings
with a narrower beam. This principle also
applies to the light from decorative fittings:
it is best if the light is directed at well-
defined areas and does not produce glare.
The lighting for areas which will be used
by churchgoers and other visitors should be
more or less vertical to avoid glare. Lighting
that is directed vertically downwards also
feels natural and comfortable. However,
the lighting of the building can shine at
whatever angle is appropriate, and there
will be occasions where even floor-level
uplighting can be achieved without glare.
Whatever angle is chosen, a decision
must be taken about the visibility of the
fittings. In a historic church it is generally
best to conceal non-decorative fittings. If
there is nowhere suitable to hide them, it is
important to consider their appearance and
the visual impact on the church interior. It
may be possible to adapt existing historic
fittings to incorporate small spotlights, or
new decorative fittings may be introduced
that are sympathetic to the historic space.
CONTROLS
It is essential that the dimming is easy to use.
Lighting controls come in a bewildering range
of different types. The best way to achieve a
user-friendly control system is to consult those
who will be using the system regularly. A simple
button control system is often the best choice.
Pressing one button calls up the lighting for a
Sunday service, another for a small service in
a chapel, the next for a concert and so on. This
type of control is called scene setting, as each
button activates a pre-programmed lighting
scene (the concept, and hence the name, comes
from the theatre). It is possible to have more
than one control panel so that lighting scenes
can be activated or adjusted from different
parts of the church. For example, some lighting
could be controlled from a panel at the entrance
and some from a second panel in the chancel,
thus avoiding a bewildering array of options.
A remote control can also be added to the
system. One priest likes to add a little theatre
Typical arrangement of spaces in a small cathedral (Newcastle), each of which may be considered a separate
lighting zone. Steps may be considered as specific hazards in the circulation areas which run through the zones.
The modern narrow-beam light fitting used at the
University Church of St Mary the Virgin, Oxford:
the unit measures just 100mm long by 115mm high
(Photo: Mike Stoane Lighting Ltd)
A statue at the cathedral church of St Marie, Sheffield with and without spot lighting
performance starts the ‘house’ lighting is dimmed
down and the lighting on the stage brought up
to focus attention on the performers. In order
to do this two things are needed: dimmable
lighting and a control system which manages
the performance area separately from the rest
of the interior. It is these two fundamentals,
dimming and independent control of each
area, that create flexibility. By being able to
raise or lower the brightness of the lighting in
different areas it becomes possible to set up
different lighting scenes for different needs.
To light a specific area, the light must
be contained and prevented from flooding
