THE final fallen angel has been fixed back in place on Launceston’s St Mary Magdalene Church ceiling, marking the end of the project writes Amy Dennis.
In July 2013, three decorative ceiling timbers fell to the ground, causing the church to be closed for safety reasons. A subsequent survey of the entire ceiling revealed an alarming number of loose timbers, and emergency work took place to secure them at a cost of £7,500.
The carved oak angels, bosses and ribs are thought to date from the church’s construction — 1511 to 1524.
The bosses and ribs are beautifully carved with Tudor roses and other foliage, and the angels, each with a different face and hairstyle, hold shields, which would have been painted originally with symbols of the passion of Christ or local heraldry.
Planning permission was secured from the Diocese of Truro for each of the 1,458 individual timbers to be re-fixed with screws to prevent further falls. An original estimate for this work of £10,000 escalated to £22,000 when costs for additional scaffolding were added.
The ‘Save Our Ceiling’ campaign had successfully raised the target by the end of September.
Last Wednesday, when the final fallen angel was put back into place by Chris Braund of R Worth and Son, the original Borough Standard, which had been repaired, was also re-hung above the choir vestry door.
Launceston had the distinction of being the first borough in the country to be granted the right to carry its arms on a standard. This was granted by the Earl Marshal on 26th March, 1907.
The standard bears the ancient ARMS of ‘Dunheved otherwise Launceston’, together with a badge ‘A Keep or Castle Gold’, the crest of Edward the Black Prince, and the motto ‘Royale et Loyale’.
The original standard was in use until 1954 when it was laid-up in the church and replaced by another to be carried in front of the mayor and corporation.
Churchwarden Heather Letts said: “They are now securely fixed and should last for a long time. We hope there won’t be any more falling timbers for another 500 years!”