The lights will go out in the historic All Saints’ Church in Pocklington, locally known as the Cathedral of the Wolds, when it closes to the public for ten weeks after the 10.45am Family Communion service on the 4th August.
The Grade 1 listed medieval building will reopen in a blaze of light for its Patronal Festival weekend, 1st November to 3rd November 2019, after undergoing upgrading of the lighting system, extensive internal rewiring and repainting of the interior of the main body of the Church.
Churchwarden Nigel Laws said, “The work involved in planning this whole project has been over two years in the making, with a project group led by the Revd Les Slow undertaking extensive research including visiting other Churches who have similarly upgraded lighting systems. We hope it will be completed to re-open the Church for the Communion Service on 13th October.”
“The entire interior of the church will be a forest of scaffolding and this has necessitated closing the main church building for the duration of the work.”
Fellow Churchwarden Hilary Slow said, “The weekly 10.45am Sunday Communion will move to the Chapel at Pocklington School during the closure. Other worship and Church activities will continue in the Meeting Room accessed via the rear door of the Church, including the 8.00am Communion service (1st & 3rd Sundays in the month), Midday Prayers on Mondays, the Thursday 10.00am service and Coffee mornings on Tuesday and Saturday morning.”
The work is expected to be completed by the 13th October when all services and other church activities will resume as normal, but under much better lighting conditions.
“A tremendously hard-working and enthusiastic team of people have already been undertaking preparatory work to move furnishings ready for the Contractors. We are grateful to all those volunteering their time and also to Pocklington School for the use of their Chapel for the main 10.45am Sunday Service,” added Hilary.
- Before the closure there will be a Coffee Morning on Saturday 3rd August, 10.00am -12.00 noon with home-made cakes, jams and chutneys, tombola, books and card stalls.
- A ‘Festival of Light’ Celebration is planned for the newly re-lit church during the Patronal Festival weekend 1st -3rd November, including a concert, activities and displays involving the community groups who use the Church (details will be released nearer the date).