William Butterfield’s mosaics at All Saints, Harrow Weald

Butterfield’s 1890 work at All Saints: Painted ceiling panels Mosaics on the east wall of the nave

Mosaic panels on the reredos behind the altar:

The scroll motif in tiny detail, in Butterfield’s characteristic colours. The tiles were made by the Minton factory

Butterfield is one of the foremost Victorian architects He is also very individual; no one else designed in a similar manner This is one reason why All Saints is a Grade II* Listed Building All Saints is unusual because it was one of his early churches, when it was built in 1849, and was also enlarged and redecorated by him in 1890, near the end of his career Butterfield’s mosaics are themselves unusual

But there’s more………………….. What’s under the paint on the east wall of the sanctuary?

During much of the 20 th century Butterfield’s reputation was low and his decorative schemes were concealed – ‘Whitewash is the instinctive suggestion, although its effect on any major Butterfield interior is disastrous, like an organ played with half the stops missing’

The only known photograph of the wall before it was painted over in 1957: It is completely covered in mosaic work, in alternating geometric panels and scrolls, with a great flourish at the top

And if you look closely you can see the mosaic pieces under the flaking paint

Careful and fully documented experiments have shown that the paint can be taken off without damaging the underlying surface

And the motifs and colour scheme match everything else designed by Butterfield for All Saints

Butterfield’s work in other places (spot the similarities) - St Mary in Castro, Dover Castle (work done in 1888) Scrolls Mosaic panels Reredos

Christleton, Chester: mosaic reredos, scroll panels on wall, polished ‘English marble’ (Derby Fossil) steps, communion rails – Butterfield, 1876

Butterfield mosaics: Fulham Palace Chapel, 1867 Babbacombe c1873 Keble College Chapel, Oxford, 1876 St Michael, Portsmouth (demolished) Ottery St Mary, 1878 West Tarring, 1885 Dover Castle, St Mary in Castro 1888 All Saints, Harrow Weald, 1890 St Mary, Dundela, Belfast, 1890 Christleton reredos panel, Leeds reredos panel,

IT WILL COST £12,000 TO CLEAN THE MOSAICS ON THE SANCTUARY WALL But…… If the wall is divided into 600 parts at £20 each everyone can take part in the project Every donor’s name will be recorded on a permanent plan of the wall

LET’S MAKE IT HAPPEN