St Catherine's Church, Burbage

Current theology emphasises the shared nature of the Eucharist, the central act of worship, and as the high altar at St. Catherine’s Church was visually and audibly removed from the majority of the growing congregation, a forward altar was felt necessary. With the recent loss of the church hall, an opportunity arose to create a flexible, accessible space where the secular and sacred could be integrated as in the medieval church, and the building opened up for a wider variety of uses.

Clews architects co-ordinated the design of the focal forward altar as a raised extension of the chancel floor, the removal of pews, new stone and tiled flooring and alterations to the stone pulpit. The choir benches were relocated in the north aisle to increase audibility and to avoid distractions behind the altar, the rear stalls being retained in the chancel for servers and ministers.

A chapel for weekday services and a room for meetings, choir robes and practice was needed. It was enclosed and heated separately from the main church and the north transept was deemed suitable. New timber-paneled and glazed screens were designed to fit within the existing stone arches and the old damaged organ removed and replaced by a digital computer organ adjacent to the choir stalls. The Lady Chapel altar and fittings were installed with cupboards for the choir robes and music. The lobby under the west tower is currently being adapted for use as a creche, the final phase involving an extension to the north wall containing kitchen, toilet and office.

The plans were evolved with Clews Architects over a number of years - the starting point being the Eucharist as the focus of the Church’s life and the need to reintegrate community life with that of the church.

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