Don’t be brash with your brass!
When it comes to caring for historic metalwork, less is very often more. Over-zealous cleaning and sometimes (dare-I-say-it) scrubbing, can lead to loss of carved detail in decorative metalwork. This can is undesirable when it comes to commemorative floor-brasses or plates, amongst other things. Inscriptions and dedications can be lost forever, disassociating the object from its […]
Radiant Roundels: working wonders with glass, paint and light
Roundels are small glass wonders which display detailed draughtsmanship and rich subject matter. They use light as the main medium for enriching an interior and are a delight to behold in any setting. Over the years I have been lucky enough to work closely with collections of these artworks and help preserve them for future generations. […]
Why do I love visiting historic churches?
“Historic Church” – There must be thousands of these signs scattered across the country yet every time I see one I am gripped! My mind races and I wonder what could be waiting for me at the end of that road. ‘Shall I follow the sign?…Do I have time?…Will I be late?…It probably won’t even […]
‘Weep not for me your sighs and tears are vain’
In the quiet leafy churchyard of St. Everilda’s church in Nether Poppleton I came across this beauty: Husband farewell and earthly friends adieu What in my power I’ve done for you My debt is paid, sec urely now I rest And trust through Jesus’ merits be blest Weep not for me your sighs and tears […]
‘But it’s only a jumble of fragments!’ – Investigating one stained glass panel
Not worthy of attention? Some stained glass panels and whole windows are dismissed because they have no clear subject matter, are a jumbled mess and are difficult to date. In this post I discover that a small, jumbled and confused stained glass panel can tell an important story about its history and interesting science-y facts […]
One week to go!!
Hi all there’s just one week to go until the Stained Glass Book Launch at All Saints’ Parish Church in Stamford. I am gearing up to sell a lot of books and also planning to fit in two short talks at 2pm and 6pm. Everyone is welcome to join us for refreshments throughout the day […]
1895 Newspaper report on a new stained glass window!!
Found on the online newspaper archives in an 1895 Grantham Journal, Saturday 9th November. The article mentions a new stained glass window which has been installed in All Saint’s church, Stamford, Lincolnshire. It is a window in memory of Orlando and Mary Edmonds and can be found in the East end of the south aisle. […]
Hannah Hartley – Haworth
Weep not dear friends, but be content, For I was only to you lent; In love we lived, in peace I died, You ask’d my life, but was denied. Gravestone in memory of Hannah Hartley wife of John of Stanbury. She died on December 19th 1854 aged only 26 years. Also interred here are two […]
John Bland – Haworth
“Farewell vain World thou shop of toil and pain. With the Redeemer now we hope to reign. Welcome sweet death thou entrance into bliss. A place of rest owhat a change is this.” This gravestone is to be found in the churchyard of St. Michael and All Angel’s, Haworth – famed for its connection with […]
A Collection of Forgotten Victorian Masterpieces
This post explores the excitement but frustation in researching a set of stained glass windows by different artists, with different patrons, of different dates and with no existing documentation or known facts (other than two plaques on walls and the inscriptions in the windows themselves). The stained glass of All Saints’ church in Stamford is […]