A CHURCH in Hale has received a grant of £5,000 from Surrey Historic Buildings Trust to go towards the restoration of the murals painted by local artist Kitty Milroy a century ago.
The grant will go towards the monitoring, stabilising and repair of the plasterwork and flaking paint, as well as the removal of salt and dirt in the paintings.
The murals, which adorn the walls of the chancel in St Mark’s Church, were painted between 1911 and 1920 and show similarities with the work of Mary Watts who designed the Watts Chapel in Compton.
Expert restorer Nick Seversway said: “They stand at a critical point in the stylistic and technical development of mural practice in England, and have considerable local and national importance.”
The paintings represent Biblical scenes, local scenes and views, and it is known the figures are of local people but their identities are now a mystery.