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COLOUR to OUR CHURCHES a Feature Dedicated to Stained Glass Windows Across Our Diocese

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COLOUR to OUR CHURCHES a Feature Dedicated to Stained Glass Windows Across Our Diocese CONSERVATION The Stained Glass Studio, Canterbury Cathedral. HISTORY Zeebrugge memorial window at St Mary’s Dover. DESIGN Alexandra Le Rossignol. NEW COMMISSIONS The window at Staple created by Buffy Tucker. COLOUR TO OUR CHURCHES A feature dedicated to stained glass windows across our Diocese The Diocese of Canterbury has some of the finest historical stained glass windows in the country as well as a wealth of new designs that are easy to visit and view. In this feature we look at some of the history of our church windows; we meet the Cathedral design and restoration team and look at how you go about commissioning a stained glass window for your church. 1313 Commissioning window art in your church Ian Dodd, Secretary to the Diocesan Advisory Committee, discusses commissioning new stained glass. The DAC encourages this will be achieved; we would church communities to be happy to advise on this. introduce works of art It is expected that a newly into their churches, be commissioned stained glass window would have some these sculptures, statues religious purpose, as well as or stained glass. But being a work of art. A good example of this is the window at when you consider how Staple, created by Buffy Tucker, our churches are a one of the team at Canterbury Cathedral. This striking window repository of religious art John Corley’s window at St Nicholas Ash. depicts ascending souls and over the ages, I am includes prismatic glass; it is a musical heritage of the village. church communities to work surprised by how few sight to behold. A window at It is a fine window with an with the artist in harmony with Ash by John Corley, shown intricate design that does not their manner and not expect faculty applications we above, focusses on the life of St give up its secrets quickly. them to produce something in a receive for stained glass Francis and is a richly coloured different style. windows or other art depiction of the created world. Several churches in the Diocese commissioned millennium The aesthetic impact of the installations. There are examples of modern windows. Upchurch houses a window must also be windows that commemorate window that was designed by considered. How the light falls During the Reformation, nearly significant events in a local local school children. Deal artist through the window and across all stained glass was removed community. One example is the John Corley created the the church is part of this. from medieval churches. At the window at St Mary’s, Dover millennium window at Despite predictions, until the time, some people tried to which commemorates the Bethersden. Local artist Graham window is installed, you can preserve the glass by hiding it Zeebrugge disaster of 1987. Clarke designed a fascinating never really be sure of how it within the community or on the interior window for the will look. Some windows look church site and a few churches The church at Lower Halstow millennium at Boughton duller than expected, others are have fragments of medieval has a window that Monchelsea, which includes a more beautiful and radiating stained glass, often found at the commemorates WW1 in snake in the shape of 2000. than you would expect. top of otherwise clear glass memory of local people affected windows. St Mary’s, Nackington by the war, and was installed Windows can commemorate an In summary, I would urge is rare in that it has a complete shortly afterwards. individual who was significant in church communities considering early 13th century medieval a community (such as the commissioning a stained glass window, traditionally said to Rossetti window at Birchington). window to contact me as soon have come from Canterbury Grieving families sometimes as they can in the process. We Cathedral. Most stained glass in wish to commission a window in like to work in partnership with the Diocese is therefore late memory of a loved one. It churches before the faculty is Georgian, Victorian or later. would be unusual for such a submitted, providing advice and Following the Oxford movement, window to actually depict the support along the way. Victorian glass was seen as an individual concerned. opportunity for teaching the faith or adorning our church Churches considering buildings and most Victorian commissioning a stained glass glass tells Biblical stories or window will also need to have shows Biblical or later religious an artist in mind. We are figures. fortunate to have a number of outstanding stained glass artists To commission a new stained in this Diocese, although it is glass window, a church must possible to work with an artist have in mind a suitable window whose medium is not glass. to use, most likely with non- Their designs can sometimes be historic clear glazing. As with all developed in collaboration with faculty applications, parishes a stained glass artist and will need to draft a statement of The large window at Boughton technician. need, which outlines why the Aluph, pictured above, created church is proposing a change by Léonie Selinger, celebrates Finding the right artist is along with the details of how Alfred Deller, the singer, and the important and I would urge 14 The stained glass work of Alex Le Rossignol With an initial training in Theatre Design and a background that includes working as an art teacher, Alexandra Le Rossignol’s work can be seen in churches across the diocese. Whilst Alex has designed windows for secular buildings, including a window near Calais at the end of the cross-channel electrical link, and windows at an Ashford hospice, two hospitals and a library, the majority of Alex’s commissions have been for churches and Christian buildings, including a Romanian hospice chapel and Diocesan churches including Smeeth, Westwell, Sellindge, Barham, and Milstead. Alex, who is married to Richard, Rector of the A20 Benefice, sees her work as an opportunity to share her faith through glass. “Prayer is important in the process of creating a window and people remark that God is in my work. Hopefully people see things in my windows that help them reflect on His Glory.” Looking to the natural world for inspiration, many of Alex’s windows feature local wildlife. “In our unchurched society, traditional Christian symbols are not always known. I find that reflecting the environment in which the windows are placed seems to draw people in to discuss and enjoy spiritual truths.” Her millennium window at St Mary’s, Westwell, features dragonflies, their wings as intricate as lace, their faces human and sombre. In contrast, Alex’s window on the bell tower at St Mary’s, Sellindge, portrays a web of lilies and butterflies. “The first book I bought as a child was a nature book and I am inspired by the parables I see of Christian life in the natural world. Living in a rural benefice, I look to the natural world to provide me with direct reference for drawing which helps me, together with Alex’s window at the Holy Land Institute for the Deaf. reading to get into the design process.” Alex’s current projects include two windows for Ashurst Church Hands also feature heavily in Alex’s work, an example being a near Tonbridge and she will be exhibiting with Ashford Visual window designed and created by Alex and a group of Art Scholars Artists in their Crossing Places exhibition at The Horsebridge from Ashford School for the Holy Whitstable in September. She runs occasional stained glass workshops at her home in Smeeth. Land Institute for the Deaf in Salt Jordan. The window was designed to reflect the importance of the Baptism area in Jordan which Jews, Christians and Muslims all recognise as a place where God has spoken. “Hands bring in the human dimension, symbols of care, protection and sacrifice and are conveniently at the end of my arms for reference! Working with The Holy Land Institute of The Deaf in Jordan underlined how hands can communicate across cultures and languages. The hands on their window spell ‘Allah Kariem’ - God provides - which is recognised across the faiths.” 15 Shedding light on window conservation Léonie Seliger is director of Stained Glass Conservation at Canterbury Cathedral. Here she gives an insight into the Studio’s work and also reveals the history behind some of the great cathedral windows. Through the ages people has to have right of way. In The Reformation was the first The Chapter were also working with stained glass the 1950s, 800 year old kick in the teeth for the distressed and tried to hide a have always done their ferramenta was removed cathedral glass. Art relating to window of the crucifixion in best. However, what is from the South East transept Thomas Becket was removed the Chapter House behind a considered to be best of Canterbury Cathedral to along with anything that false wall. But Culmer was not changes with history. make way for the Bossanyi could be sold or melted down to be fooled and he ripped Today, there needs to be a windows. Although the to contribute to the King’s down the wall and the windows are magnificent, coffers. window. principle of reversibility. commissioned following An image of Thomas Becket bomb damage in the Second Great care must be taken 17th century in the Great North Window, World War, it is an example of before removing anything. which had only survived the people doing their best in the Something that appears Puritan reforms Reformation because it was moment, but something we There followed another period old-fashioned or awkward so high up, was also not would never even consider of organised destruction in now may in fact be able to beyond Richard Culmer’s doing now.
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