All Saints Parish Church, Antrim
A historic church devastated by a smouldering fire and carcinogenic soot, now undergoing comprehensive conservation and restoration.
Restore a fire-damaged historic church and conserve its significant fabric and finishes.
All Saints is believed to have sixteenth-century origins. A blocked doorway bears the date 1596 and the walls retain openings traditionally associated with people affected by leprosy receiving communion without entering the church. Following periods of conflict and damage, the building was restored around 1720–1733 in an Elizabethan Gothic style; the tower and bell tower were added in 1816.
A concealed, smouldering fire continued for three days before discovery. Although direct flame damage was limited, carcinogenic soot reached almost every surface and void. Ian Maconachie was appointed to lead the insurance and restoration process, bringing together specialist experts from across the United Kingdom, a large conservation team and an experienced main contractor.
Remove hazardous soot from every surface, detail and concealed void.
The contamination affected the roof, walls, floors, stained glass, marble font, pulpit, wall memorials, liturgical furniture and organ. The extreme internal heights required a carefully phased programme, completing high-level cleaning and restoration before lower-level works could begin.
Every cleaned element revealed further conservation needs, requiring specialists in stained glass, decorative finishes, historic joinery, furniture and organ restoration. The entire electrical installation also required replacement and a new design.
Clean, assess and programme each element before deciding whether to restore, repair or replace.
Specialist contractors cleaned the roof structure, pews and floors; removable latex film was used on wall surfaces, while marble monuments, the font and pulpit received controlled laser treatment. Loose furniture and textiles were removed for specialist cleaning, dry cleaning, metalwork restoration and flag making.
A detailed critical path was developed for every section, coordinating cleaning, conservation, restoration and any essential replacement. This structured sequence controlled the return of stained glass, joinery and furnishings and protected completed work throughout the phased programme.
Conservation and preservation at the forefront.
- Quantity Surveying
- Project Management
- CDM Coordination
- Listed Building Consent support
- Specialist restoration procurement
- Phased delivery planning
Restoration has revealed and protected layers of the church’s history.
Removing contaminated finishes uncovered important historic fabric. Beneath plywood covering at the balcony, historic balusters—understood to have come from an Elizabethan galleon—were exposed and restored, with illuminated protective glazing introduced to meet Building Control requirements.
Removing carpet around the font revealed an Italian marble floor, while the chancel carpet concealed a richly coloured Victorian ceramic floor. Specialist conservators restored both, using carefully matched replacement tiles where necessary. Beneath the pew floor, human remains dating to the sixteenth century were discovered. Following archaeological investigation, loose remains were respectfully reinterred in the graveyard, while deeply embedded remains were protected beneath the renewed floor.
Damaged roof elements were replicated and lime plaster reinstated. The choir ceiling was reconstructed around twelve cross-beam intersections bearing symbols of the Apostles. New chandeliers, choir-stall lighting, a modern heating system and remotely controlled lighting, sound and audiovisual installations have been integrated alongside a new accessible entrance.
The space above the Massereene family burial vault has been transformed into a sound-insulated side chapel for small services, Sunday crèche use and parish meetings. Heritage Lottery funding also enabled conservation of the tower’s front elevation, including cleaning, repointing, indenting, mortar repairs and selective stone replacement.