How do you produce a guide to a church famous for its medieval wall paintings that can be used by someone living with sight loss?
On 15th June, at 11:00am, we will be holding a touch tour of St Mary’s Church, Chalgrove which is famous for its medieval wall art and has addressed this question to make the space accessible for visually impaired people
This was the challenge faced by members of the congregation responsible for interpretation of the church’s heritage. The group has recently produced a new edition of the 50-page illustrated guide to the paintings; a smart phone app and I-Touch guides to the church, and a full colour reconstruction of the complete scheme of the paintings.
But while these guides are all great for use by the general public, they are of little use to people living with various degrees of sight loss.
The Vicar, Fr Michael Lakey, and the Parochial Church Council of St Mary’s are now delighted to announce that a solution has been found. On Thursday 15th June, the completed touch tour guide will be used for the first time.
Devante Claridge, our South Oxfordshire Community Engagement Worker commented:
“On a recent visit to the Church, I was blown away with how accessible it was and the fantastic work that has gone into making it user friendly for the visually impaired community. Being given access to specialised equipment has really enabled the church to come alive at the palm of my hand and visualize my surroundings with limited sight no longer a barrier.”
The resource comprises sets of six specially selected and constructed images, printed and manipulated on Swell paper with accompanying audio descriptions. These are linked to the images via RNIB PenFriend technology. This enables the user to listen to the descriptions of what they are feeling with their fingers.
Fr Michael commented:
“Far more than beautiful decoration, the sacred art in our nation’s churches exists to tell and retell the story of God’s salvation of humanity in the person of Jesus Christ. We translate our bibles from Ancient Hebrew and Greek into Modern English because we are convinced that this story is for everyone without exception. I see this fabulous project, led and implemented by our dedicated team, as a natural extension of that impulse and I warmly invite you to visit our church and give it a try.”
Further information
The nave of St. Mary’s Church dates to roughly 1150. There have since been a number of additions throughout the years until it became the building standing today. The building features wall paintings from the 14th century, a beautiful triple sedilia, and has played a role in England’s history from the time of Edward II to the Civil War.
The church now provides accessible toilet facilities, level access and a ramp where necessary.
For further details you can contact St Mary’s Church at friends@chalgrovechurch.org
If you are interested in joining our touch tour, contact us at info@MyVision.org.uk or 01865 725595
