Iona Abbey - GO Wright Ltd

The Challenge

Iona Abbey, a site of immense historical and spiritual significance, sought to address the challenges posed by its traditional paraffin candlelight. While aesthetically beautiful, the use of naked flames and real wax caused unwanted environmental effects, and the low light levels in the choir stalls made reading difficult.

The core challenge for GWL Electrical was to implement a sophisticated, award-winning LED lighting scheme while adhering to the strictest conservation principles. The installation needed to be architecturally invisible, preserve the Abbey’s ancient fabric, and faithfully reproduce the realistic look and feel of real candlelight, all within the constraints of a working historical monument.

The Solution

Electrical Infrastructure for Invisible Light. GWL Electrical worked in close partnership with Nich Smith Lighting Design, conservation architects, and specialist fabricators to deliver the project’s critical electrical infrastructure.

Our solution focused on sensitivity, precision, and minimal intervention:

Invisible Cabling: MICC (Pyro) Cabling (Mineral Insulated Copper Clad) was meticulously selected for its small diameter and natural aging patina, allowing it to fade seamlessly into the existing structure. Cabling was discreetly routed and clipped to mortar joins using low-profile clips with hidden fixings, ensuring the ancient stone fabric remained undisturbed.

Precision Installation: Our team performed highly accurate coring through up to 965mm thick stone walls to place cables exactly where needed, maintaining the scheme’s ‘invisible’ nature.

Specialist Integration: We sensitively installed the electrical supply for the new freestanding candelabra and assisted in refurbishing the choir stall candelabras, which incorporated bespoke 3D-printed reading lights and LED inserts (Lux-lumen BV).

Simplicity and Reliability: The electrical infrastructure was engineered to be robust yet simple, keeping complexity and future maintenance to a minimum.

The Result

A Platinum Award-Winning Restoration. Iona Abbey now benefits from a realistic candlelight scheme that has eliminated the unwanted effects of real wax and naked flames. The new installation has dramatically improved light levels for those using the choir stalls, enhancing the worship experience without compromising atmosphere.

The project’s exceptional quality and sensitivity were recognised with the Build Back Better PLATINUM Award in the 2025 lighting category, the judges’ highest accolade. GWL Electrical delivered the critical infrastructure with zero compromise to the Abbey’s historical integrity, successfully fading the complexity of modern electrical work into the ancient building fabric.

Candle Replacement at Iona Abbey

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The Challenge

The Solution

The Result

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