Iona Abbey Candles
Isle of Iona, Inner Hebrides, Scotland
Client: The Iona Community
Services: Lighting Design and Project Management
Overview: Replacement of Paraffin candles with new LED candles
Completed: 2025
Iona is a small Hebridean island on the west coast of Scotland. As a place of pilgrimage Iona Abbey welcomes tens of thousands of visitors annually. The Abbey is of substantial religious, cultural, and historic significance. It is a Category A Listed Building, run by the Iona Community for religious services and Historic Environment Scotland as a visitor attraction.
Paraffin candles used in the Abbey were identified as undesirable because of fire risk, management of fuel hazards, and the desire to move away from burning oil products with a view to sustainability and environmental justice. There was also an incident of someone becoming unwell with asthma induced by being in the presence of burning paraffin.
Although candlelight from naked flames has a beautiful aesthetic visual appeal, the use of real wax candles also has many of the unwanted effects mentioned above.
Reading in the Abbey choirstalls was difficult due to low light levels.
A comprehensive review of the original installation and cultural needs of the Abbey resulted in new LED candles being installed. They are handmade real wax altar candles which are lit and burnt to create unique melting patterns. The candles are then extinguished, cored, and fitted with a special LED insert to produce a realistic candlelight effect. Light levels, colour temperature variation, and the location based random flicker of real candles are faithfully reproduced.
New freestanding candelabra replaced the original seven types to enable wiring. Their design reflects the originals in scale and candle quantities, with details drawn from motifs within the church. Choirstall candelabras were refurbished with LED candles and new reading lights that are 3D printed to fit exactly and accommodate electronics
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Electrical infrastructure was sensitively installed, keeping cabling and complexity to a minimum. Copper MICC cable was selected for its small diameter and natural patina through aging, carefully clipped to mortar joins using low profile clips with hidden fixings. Accurate coring through 965mm thick stone walls was required to get cables exactly where needed. The electrical infrastructure fades perfectly into the existing building fabric. The entire installation is weatherproof due to water ingress to the Abbey interior.
The Abbey remained open 24 hours a day for visitors and held two daily services throughout the project. It was considered essential to keep the Abbey fully open to meet visitor’s needs, many of whom are making a once in a lifetime visit having travelled internationally.
Freestanding Candelabra: SCOTT ASSOCIATES SCULPTURE & DESIGN LTD.
3D printing, technical consultancy: James Gardner
Conservation Architects: John Gilbert Architects
Electrical Contractor: GWL-Electrical
Candles – Lux Lumen BV