These days, master craftsman Jay McLauchlan is spending a lot more time in the 1806 Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Meetinghouse – and for good reason. He is rebuilding both stairways that lead up to the chancel, and you can be certain that they will be constructed to the same exacting standards that have earned Jay an enviable reputation as a fine artist and woodworker.

Early in his career Jay focused his skills on furniture. His work was widely shown as a juried member of the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen and through exhibitions including the Cape Ann Museum and the Currier Museum of Art in Manchester, New Hampshire. Jay has also developed a highly regarded specialization in stairway design and construction.

As Jay describes it, the Meetinghouse stairs present a unique challenge. Each step is curved at the front and each tread is different in shape and must be custom cut and fit. Jay chose solid African mahogany for the treads in order to closely match the wood used in the construction of the chancel.

The reconstruction of the stairs is part of a larger series of projects designed to preserve the historical character of Gloucester’s oldest standing meetinghouse. Step up and take a look!