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'Cathedral of the Peak' to come out of the shadows

BBC St John the Baptist Church where a new lighting system is being fittedBBC
About £200,000 is being spent on new lighting for St John the Baptist Church in Tideswell

A church in Derbyshire nicknamed the "Cathedral of the Peak" is to get a £200,000 replacement lighting system that will allow visitors to see some of its architectural features for the first time.

LED lighting is due to be fitted at the St John the Baptist Church in Tideswell, which attracts about 25,000 visitors annually.

Church bosses said they hoped the revamped lighting would mean more local groups use it for event space.

Electrician Dan Rhode, who is carrying out the work, said: "If you've been to the church before and you think you've seen it - you haven't. You'll need to come back when it's finished and see it again."

Worker in hi-vis jacked working on stained glass window at St John the Baptist Church
The church's 45ft stained glass windows are due to benefit from the work

The new lighting will show the 14th Century building's intricate stone and wood carvings more clearly as well as showcasing its 45ft (13.7m) stained glass window and church organ.

It should also help reduce the church's energy bills by cutting the amount of electricity required to light the building from 20kW to 4kW.

The project is being paid for by fundraising and grants but a further £12,000 needs to be found to complete the work.

Birds-eye view of St John the Baptist Church in Tideswell
The Cathedral of the Peak that attracts about 25,000 visitors every year

Mr Rhode, from Current Standard Electric, added: "We are being as careful as possible to look after and care for this ancient building for the future.

"We're honoured to be in that space and working on this beautiful building.

"To be up close to parts of the building on scaffolding that nobody's seen in centuries is very cool.

"It's humbling to think that the work we're doing now will have an impact on these services and events for hopefully decades to come."

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