Let there be light at the Cathedral of the Isles!

Britain’s smallest cathedral is currently undergoing £10-15,000 of repairs and refurbishments - and reaching parts which have been untouched for decades.

Lay chaplain Alistair Chisholm told the ‘News’ that the upgrade was extremely important, and would improve the general lighting of the much loved building, which dates back to 1851.

The cathedral has scaffolding in the nave for the first time in approximately 60 to 70 years, perhaps longer.

The walls are being painted, and the lighting has been replaced, and The Lady Chapel has been decorated, and new lighting installed.

Alistair said: “The lighting system has been replaced and this has involved scaffolding to the ceiling of the building, and the whole of the interior of the nave of the building was repainted.

“The work has been done by local tradesmen including electrical, painting and the scaffolding, which has all been done by local guys.

“The lighting in the cathedral has been very problematic during the last 10 years, and the improvements were absolutely the right thing to do.” The cathedral was built on ground owned by the Boyle family, and its founder, George Frederick Boyle, later became 6th Earl of Glasgow. It was designed by renowned architect William Butterfield, one of the greatest architects of the 19th century. and the interior, including outstanding contemporary stained glass, ceramics, and sculpture, survives almost unchanged.