A faculty was sought for the refurbishment of the local war memorial, including the gilding of the lettering of the names of the fallen. The Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC) issued a notification of advice indicating that it did not object to the proposed works but, in a narrative supplement to the notification, it indicated that the lettering should be cleaned but not gilded or painted. Its advice was based upon conservation principles of minimal intervention, which would enable the memorial to preserve the patina of age which it had acquired since its erection in 1921. The petitioners responded to that advice arguing that the purpose of the refurbishment was to ensure that the names of the fallen could be seen more fully.

Unusually, the chancellor granted the faculty despite the concerns of the DAC. Although the conservation principles relied upon were sound, the petitioners’ aesthetic evaluation was also worthy of consideration. The petitioners did not seek to go further in terms of visibility and legibility than was the case when the memorial was erected. Given the particular nature of the memorial, the strongly and sincerely held collective belief of the Parochial Church Council that the names on the memorial should once again be clearly legible should be respected. [RA]