Update: Restoration Phase I at First Parish Church

Isaiah Rogers’ early Gothic Revival masterpiece of 1833 is being restored in a multi-phase campaign. Here is an update on the restoration of the First Parish Church in Cambridge, the subject of our previous newsletter: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Restoration-Begins-at-First-Parish-in-Cambridge-.html?soid=1117991550633&aid=7qJQaNl_krU

Restoration Phase I

Phase I Restoration of the Meetinghouse exterior has recently brought back previously-lost original detail using traditional durable materials such as copper and slate along with innovative Accoya wood and glass fiber-reinforced polyester (GFRP) for long-term sustainability of character-defining architectural details.

Flush-joint wood siding was repaired and painted in monochrome limestone color as originally intended to evoke the medieval churches of Europe by carpenter Gothic woodworkers of the early nineteenth century in New England.

Quatrefoil relief transom panels, latticework screens and open tracery arches were rebuilt and repaired at the four belfry openings. The clock face was restored, a new mechanism installed and the hands and numerals re-gilded.

At each face of the tower, a row of transom panels formerly enlivened the base of the open-air belfry tracery with a low-relief quatrefoil pattern, this motif echoing the sanctuary windows at the balcony level. Only one face of the tower still retained this decoration, suffering from extreme decay, other sides having been previously removed or boarded over with flat plywood. 

The team for this project carefully salvaged extant woodwork to use as the model to fabricate a mold for casting twenty-four new panels, complete with all the details originally cut in 1833 using the newest techniques of the time, the circular band saw. These exact replica quatrefoil panels in Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) were then installed on each face of the tower, aligned with the open belfry tracery above.

The most dramatic restoration visible to the eye was to restore the entire east belfry screen by replicating the one remaining tracery arch at the head of the east-facing belfry screen using the same GFRP technique as for the quatrefoil transom panels. Combined with new diagonal latticework (echoing the sanctuary’s diamond-pane windows) fabricated from durable Accoya wood, and accented per our analysis of the original paint scheme, the belfry openings are now restored and durable long into the future.

Team for First Parish Church Restoration Phase I:

Torrey Architecture's Master Plan for Restoration and Accessibility

Future phases of Torrey Architecture’s Master Plan for Restoration and Accessibility envision restoring the picturesque 1833 skyline by reconstructing the original exuberant Gothic Revival pinnacles, octagonal corner pilasters, crenelated parapets and balustrades using GFRP castings attached to the reinforced heavy timber frame.

The original opaque wooden doors will be swung permanently inwards and a new glazed entry will welcome all building users into a light-filled entry lobby. The existing flight of granite steps from the entry door to the sidewalk will be relocated forward to create a level landing platform and the Sanctuary will finally be made fully accessible to all via a “green pedestal” of terraced gardens, granite steps, ramps and sloped walkways with wrought iron railings.

The church forecourt adjoining the historic Burial Ground and facing the gates of Harvard Yard will be enlivened with a fountain and with brick-paved, fully-accessible gathering places, illuminated at night to proudly express the architectural heritage of this venerable Gothic Revival icon.

Photo credits:

David W. Torrey



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