Students from the Art School’s Carving and Conservation departments will play an important role in the conservation and restoration of St Mary Aldermary, a Grade I listed church in the heart of the City of London, as part of an ambitious heritage and community project due to begin in early 2027.
The project will give students the opportunity to apply their specialist stone carving and conservation skills to a historic building, working alongside heritage professionals to survey and assess the church’s historic stonework and woodwork, and test different stone cleaning methods.
As part of the programme, students will design and carve 20 pilot stone bosses in Portland limestone. Drawing on ideas from the church’s café users and local community groups, the carved pieces will form part of a new decorative scheme for permanent installation in the church. The carving will take place in a temporary Heritage Studio in the churchyard, where visitors will be able to watch students and craftspeople at work and gain an insight into traditional carving techniques and conservation practices.
For students, the partnership offers valuable experience of working on a Grade I listed building, taking their learning beyond the studio and into a live heritage conservation project. It will also provide an opportunity to demonstrate the specialist knowledge, technical skills and craftsmanship involved in preserving historic buildings.
Dr Lois Rowe, Principal of City & Guilds of London Art School, said:
“This project is a wonderful opportunity to put into practice the specialist skills and conservation knowledge that our students develop at the Art School, within a living heritage building at the heart of the City of London. For our students, working at St Mary Aldermary means taking their learning beyond the studio and applying it to the real challenges of caring for a Grade I listed building that is such an important part of the City’s history and identity.
Just as importantly, the project will allow visitors to see traditional craft and conservation happening in real time, helping to build understanding of the skill, knowledge and care needed to protect the City’s heritage and pass these specialist skills on to future generations.”
The partnership forms part of a wider programme to secure the future of St Mary Aldermary, supported by development funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Alongside the conservation work, the project will create new opportunities for community participation, skills development and volunteering. Other partners include Liberty Kitchen, which supports prison leavers into employment through hospitality training and workshops; Stitches in Time, which will lead a community textiles programme culminating in a large textile hanging for the church’s side chapel; and Volunteer It Yourself, which will connect young people who are not in education, employment or training with the project team and heritage craftspeople.
The wider plans also include improvements to the church’s facilities and sustainability, including proposals to replace its outdated heating system and support its journey towards net zero. The current development phase will allow the project team to progress its designs, activities and business plan ahead of an application for a further Delivery-phase grant. If successful, this would enable the restoration programme to expand, including the conservation of more of the church’s original decorative scheme.
The Lady Mayor of the City of London, Dame Susan Langley, said:
“Heritage crafts are part of the fabric of the City, but preserving them means investing in the next generation of people who will carry those skills forward. Throughout my mayoral year, I’ve been proud to champion heritage crafts and the apprentices learning these specialist skills. This project brings that work to life in a wonderful way – giving young craftspeople the chance to learn on one of the City’s most historic buildings, while allowing thousands of visitors to see their skill up close.”
