A MELROSE minister is leading his parish on a historic treasure hunt for long-lost stencils.

Rev Philip Blackledge, Rector of Holy Trinity, discovered missing murals recently while his 165-year-old church was undergoing major restoration work.

During the Second World War the interior of the building was completely whitewashed following repair work for water damage.

But as the thick plaster was removed from the south wall towards the end of last year, some of the forgotten designs began to emerge.

Rev Philip Blackledge said: “I discovered them when going into the church at night. “With the light from my torch shining in a certain direction, it was possible to make out some very unusual designs.

“We were able to make detailed drawings of what we could see with torches and we also found an old black-and-white photograph which showed some of the stencil work before it was covered.” During redecoration of the church earlier this year, two crosses and banner work from the lost designs were added to the altar area.

And it is hoped that more of the original, believed to be gold-leaf, murals can be added.

But only if the 115-year-old stencils can be traced.

Holy Trinity was originally a chapel, built and consecrated in 1849, 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 the 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.

The ornate stencil designs were added when the chapel was extended into its current church form around 1900.

Rev Blackledge has already delved into the archives in a bid to find the lost stencils.

He added: “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.

“This was intricate a flowing pattern of grapes and vine leaves.

“We have searched through the Buccleuch archives as well as the archives of the architect but we haven’t found the stencils.

“The parts that we have recovered are beautiful and we will continue to search for the missing parts. We are happy to be back in the church now that the renovation work is complete - redecorating the walls with the stencil designs will be a long-term project.” The congregation of Holy Trinity celebrated its return home on Sunday following the successful restoration of the roof beams, which had been in danger of collapse.

During extensive repair work, the carved woodwork was taken down, many of the roof tiles removed, and the enormous oak beams of the roof were spliced, with steel girders, while metal rods were drilled into the old beams and new beams attached.

The congregation had spent six months worshipping across the road at St Cuthbert’s Catholic Church, in High Cross Avenue.

The Right Reverend Dr John Armes, Bishop of Edinburgh, rededicated the building to the Holy Trinity at a Choral Evensong during Sunday’s celebrations.