Lincolnshire ‘Queen’ of parish churches is latest to benefit from lighting specialists’ attention

[ST ANDREW’S CHURCH in Heckington, Lincolnshire, is a quite magnificent parish church. Built in the 1300s in the decorated style of the period, it is adorned inside and out with ‘many statues, gargoyles, beasts, royal faces, angels and animals leaping from the world and imagination of the 14th-century stone carvers’.

The 14th-century church was endowed by a former vicar, one Richard de Potesgrave, who was chaplain to both Edward II and Edward III. How a lowly vicar could take on the building of a magnificent church is explained by a letter written in 1892 by the Venerable Edward Trollope, Bishop of Nottingham, quoted in a history of the church written by Sandra Sardeson.

“Richard de Potesgrave,” the bishop said, “was not only a chaplain to Edward II and Edward III, but also their trusted officer, employed in important duties for them, so that, no doubt, he was materially assisted by Edward III.”

In addition to a fine stained-glass window in the church’s south aisle, the church contains what has been described as the finest grouping of Easter Sepulchre, Sedalia and piscina in the country.

Sandra Sardeson describes St Andrew’s as ‘The Queen of English parish churches’.

The church is also the site of one of the most recently-completed lighting upgrade projects carried out by Lighting Dynamics UK, which has long been established as one of the UK’s premier companies specialising in the interior and exterior lighting of cathedrals, churches and other places of worship across all religious denominations.

The parish website describes the new system thus: “Heckington Church has just had a new internal lighting system fitted which shows off this amazing building in a whole new light, and the 14th-century carvings in the chancel look incredible. Do come and have a look.”

Lighting Dynamics UK has a significant number of prestigious church lighting projects currently in progress, with some at advanced stages of planning and design. The company is dedicated to offering a totally independent, creative, imaginative, unbiased lighting design, as well as an in-depth consultancy service and, where required, the supply of all associated and specified lighting equipment.

Since its establishment the company has established a reputation for creating practical and architecturally sympathetic lighting schemes. Wherever possible, discreet lighting equipment is specified and installed to produce suitable levels of illumination and to highlight both ecclesiastical details and any special architectural features.

Lighting Dynamics UK offers a very comprehensive range of modern, energy-saving and top-quality lighting equipment, including an extensive family of the very latest bespoke high-quality ‘commercial grade’ LED luminaires, specifically designed for all types of ecclesiastical lighting tasks.

Its extensive range of LED products, along with many related LED luminaire lighting accessories, now takes the company’s overall lighting portfolio to the next level of technical innovation. ’Colour change’ lighting, linked to DMX or DALI controls, is increasingly proving popular for selected church interior and exterior illumination applications. The company also has an unrivalled knowledge of and expertise in all modern intelligent dimming and smart lighting control systems.

Founder Gerry Browne explained: “It has been established that most customers are increasingly looking for someone with the flair and experience to provide a quality lighting design, whilst also specifying top-grade, high-quality ‘commercial grade’ lighting equipment and controls that will provide longevity, reliability and overall flexibility for their specific ecclesiastical lighting upgrade project. However, achieving the optimum lighting design solution is a long-term process which involves educating, informing and demonstrating to all members of a specific project team what can be achieved.” All the team at Lighting Dynamics UK are fully aware of the need to be energy conscious. In this modern age it would appear that the never-ending and increasing number of new energy regulations is only surpassed by the cost of energy itself. Gerry Browne continued: “Whilst modern, easy internet access is now widely available, with the lure and attraction of all types of low-cost LED products, many end-user clients have tremendous difficulty in differentiating between the various price points available online or locally, and in particular understanding the prime differences between highquality ‘commercial grade’ LED luminaires and their counterpart ‘short-life, poor performance’ low-cost alternatives.

“The issue is further compounded when modern LED light sources need to be dimmed and linked to any form of separate lighting control system.”

Lighting Dynamics UK has, if required, a fully-qualified team of NICEICregistered electricians to carry out the installation of interior and exterior lighting systems to current electrical standards and regulations. The team is extremely experienced in working within all types of ecclesiastical buildings, including and especially those with listed status.

The company provide a bespoke design service for each individual church lighting project, be it interior or exterior – from initial meeting and informal discussions right through to final focusing and commissioning of the completed project. q www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk 27