The Heritage Lottery Fund has awarded £6300 to Saint Columb’s Cathedral to restore historic portraits, it was revealed yesterday.
The grant will be used to restore portraits of the hymn-writer Mrs Cecil Frances Alexander, her husband Archbishop William Alexander and Bishop William Higgin.
The Dean of Derry, the Very Reverend Raymond Stewart, welcoming the award of the grant said;
“I wish to put on record my deepest gratitude to the Heritage Lottery Fund without whose generous funding the restoration of these portraits would not be happening.
"It is very appropriate that the restoration is being carried out this year as it is the bi-centenary of Mrs Alexander’s birth. She was born in Dublin in 1818 and later moved to Strabane when her father was appointed land agent to the Marquis of Abercorn.”
In 1848 Mrs Alexander published a slim volume of hymns which was to make her name renowned throughout the English speaking world. This was called “Hymns for Little Children” and included among others “All Things Bright and Beautiful”, “Once in Royal David’s City” and “There is a Green Hill Far Away”
William Alexander began his ministry as a curate in Derry Cathedral. He was also an accomplished poet and at one stage was considered for appointment to the Chair of Poetry at Oxford. In 1867 he was enthroned as Bishop of Derry in succession to Bishop William Higgin whose portrait is also to be restored.
Mrs Alexander died in Derry in October 1895 and is buried in the City Cemetery.
Just four months after her death William was elected Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland. He retired in 1911 and died later that year.
When the work is completed the portraits will go on display in the Cathedral’s Chapter House. Those of the Alexanders have not previously been on display to the public and they will make a fitting centrepiece to an exhibition on their lives and works which will open later in the year.
Paul Mullan, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund in NI added “The Sharing Heritage programme provides a wonderful opportunity for communities to delve into their local heritage and we are delighted to be able to offer this grant so that the Cathedral can restore their paintings and bring them to the wider public for the first time. Heritage means different things to different people, and HLF’s funding offers a wealth of opportunities for groups to explore and celebrate what’s important to them in their area. We would encourage anyone interested in learning more about accessing our funding to get in touch.”
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