Spectacular lights for Rotherham Minster: PICTURES

LET there be light—Rotherham Minster has taken its place in the spotlight after crowds turned out to see it floodlit for the first time. The Bishop of Sheffield, the Rt Rev Steven Croft, teamed up with the Mayor of Rotherham, Cllr Shaukat Ali, t

LET there be light—Rotherham Minster has taken its place in the spotlight after crowds turned out to see it floodlit for the first time.

 

The Bishop of Sheffield, the Rt Rev Steven Croft, teamed up with the Mayor of Rotherham, Cllr Shaukat Ali, to press the plunger triggering the town's second big switch-on in just a few weeks.

Councillors voted earlier this year to light up the Grade I-listed Minster and make it stand out from the rest of the skyline in recognition of its historical importance and location.

Scores of parishioners, church officials and members of the public packed All Saints' Square last Thursday evening to witness the moment when the iconic church was bathed in a golden glow.

The big occasion culminated in a special service in the Minster featuring choral performances by the Minster Choir and Sitwell Junior School and a nativity play by Herringthorpe Junior School.

Council chiefs and church leaders hope that the move will make the town centre more attractive, pull in more visitors and clamp down on anti-social behaviour in the churchyard.

It is part of the Townscape Heritage Initiative and marks the first phase of improvements around the church, which will also see the expansion of the entrance steps and modifications to a wall on Church Street to create a welcoming entrance to the Minster Yard.