The congregation of Holy Trinity in Melrose is celebrating its return home this weekend following the successful restoration of roof beams, which had been in danger of collapse.

Members of 165-year-old church had to leave the building in June last year after a severe case of dry rot was discovered in the roof timbers. During extensive repair work, the carved woodwork of the church was taken down, many of the roof tiles removed, and the enormous oak beams of the roof were spliced, with steel girders to hold the roof up, while metal rods were drilled into the old beams and new beams attached.

The thick, Victorian lime plaster was removed from the south wall during the works.

And that was when the lost historic murals were first revealed.

Rev Philip Blackledge, Rector of Holy Trinity, who discovered the forgotten stencils, said: “One of the interesting things to happen was the discovery of the old stencil work, intricate designs of paint, which had been whitewashed over during the Second World War, when some water damage meant re-plastering had to take place, ruining the designs.

“I discovered them when going into the church at night. “With the light shining in a certain direction, it was possible to make out some very unusual designs.” Holy Trinity was originally a chapel, built and consecrated in 1849 on the site of the current church, on land donated by the fifth Duke of Buccleuch.

The site was on the high point where road travellers to Melrose from the west would catch their first view of Melrose Abbey.

Pilgrims had at one time erected a high cross near this spot, and the Melrose to Darnick road on which Holy Trinity is located is still called High Cross Avenue.

The chapel’s architect was Benjamin Ferrey, a successful London architect and sometime collaborator with Augustus Pugin, the leader of the 19th century revival in Gothic architecture, whose many projects including the design of the Houses of Parliament.

Parts of the lost stencil designs have now been incorporated into the redecorated interior.

And a new project to reinstate more of the murals will be undertaken.

Rev Blackledge added: “Some of this has been re-instated in the redecoration, and the stencil work, which is an intricate, flowing pattern of grapes and vine leaves, will continue as a long-term project.

“Stencils were often very bog standard and there are many books of stencilling patterns, but this one seems to be original and unusual for a church.” The congregation have spent six months worshipping across the road at St Cuthbert’s Catholic Church, in High Cross Avenue.

Now, with the roof secure and other damaged beams repaired, they are returning home to an evening of celebration.

The celebrations are at 6.30pm on Sunday when Right Reverend Dr John Armes, Bishop of Edinburgh, will rededicate the building to the Holy Trinity at a Choral Evensong, which also features the Choir of St John’s Edinburgh.