A Winchester church has a new look in an effort to stand out more in the city centre.

A new engraved glass screen and windows have been installed at St Lawrence Church in The Square this month as part of a project to make the church more accessible.

The parish raised more than £20,000 to fund the glass as well as new lighting and disabled access.

Project leader Chris Higgins said: “You can walk past the church and hardly even realise it is there. But it has been a place of worship since William the Conqueror had a chapel on the site.

“The intention of this project is to draw more people to the church and improve access for the disabled. We want to welcome more people and get them to look at these windows. You can look at the glass and find deeper meaning within.”

He added: “None of this would have been possible if it had not been for the exceptional generosity of everyone who contributed.”

The screen was designed by local artist Tracey Sheppard who used several techniques in the engraving including dentist drills and acid to create the images.

She said: “There are lots of Christian symbols in the design and I also picked up on local symbols that people might recognise such as butterflies from the meadows. I hope the parish feels it does them justice.”

St Lawrence's will play an important part in the enthronement ceremony of the new Bishop of Winchester, which will take place later today (Saturday, April 21).

It is tradition that the incoming bishop is robed in St Lawrence's before the short walk across to the city's cathedral.