Monday 31 December 2012

St George at Rossall School

Rossall School is one of the finest schools on the Fylde coast. It is very near to Fleetwood and is really close to the seafront, in fact just yards away. This is not the time and the place to discuss the history of the school or even post a link, but it has a really fine chapel - it is need of repair too. There are fine memorials there. However out off the set of photographs I took, this is one that stands out. The window is a tad out of focus but this brings the statue of St George into even closer detail.

The statue is in wood - probably oak
I spent a wonderful morning at the chapel photographing the artifacts - like this picture Bits of the wood are polished where hands have rubbed it.

Friday 21 December 2012

Truro Cathedral, The Parish Church of St. Mary

Truro Cathedral is a Neo-Gothic Cathedral which was built between 1880 and 1910. It is the only Cathedral in England to have a parish church within it. Truro was part of the diocese of Exeter until 1887. The Cathedral is dedicated to St. Mary

This window is over the south entrance to the cathedral. The window represents the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, together with scenes showing how the spirit has subsequently guided the Church through its history.

The South Rose window - Truro Cathedral
A fine example of Victorian glass. There are other rose windows in the Cathedral.
When Truro is visited in the blogs, they will be published.

Sunday 16 December 2012

Blackpool Library

Perhaps this is a little odd to have put a new window in the blog. But it is a well ordered design - rule of thirds - that sort of thing. For me the fact that the colours are not overpowering lends to its effectiveness. The window is half way up the stairs to the reference library.

Blackpool Library stairs.

Thursday 6 December 2012

The William Wingfield Baker window

This window is at Gulval in Cornwall.
Lovely mix of colours as well as painted glass. The Cornish late afternoon light shining through adds to the luminosity of the glass in a very special way!

To the glory of God; and in affectionate memory of Wilham Wingfield Baker
of Orsett Hall in the County of Essex, Esq Q.C. This Window is erected by his
Children. He died at Sherbourne Castle on the 21st of March 1858 in the 80th
year of his age and was buried at Orsett
Esse Quam Videri
(To be rather than to seem (to be))

The window depicts the baptism of Jesus and the Doctors in the Temple

There is information on William Wingfield Baker in Wikipedia. This is one of a series of photographs of Gulval. This page will be linked to the memorials blog in due time. As far as I am aware this window has never been published before.

Friday 30 November 2012

St Agnes church window

No its not got devastating colours, designs, or even antiquity, but it does have very special attributes.
My father and his Aunts must have gazed on this window frequently and often when they lived at Sundew cottage. Aunt Edith must have felt some empathy with her too.

As far as design goes this is surely wonderful in the depiction of the figure and also the face of St Agnes.  The transparency of the window is delightful too. I like the ornaments and objects on the window sill. It makes the window loved and looked after. Very special for me on several levels. The rest of the church will be featured on these blogs sometime!

Wednesday 28 November 2012

Lastingham

This is the first post. Fittingly it may well be one of the oldest places I have visited. Lastingham in North Yorkshire dates back to Saxon times. However the first stone buildings originate to about 700 AD. It seems that the stone monastery was re-erected from about 1070. There are numerous ancient artifacts in the crypt and they will be shown elsewhere. The window however has a circular arch and I would like to consider it as Norman.

However it is unlikely to have contained glass - but more likely to have had a wooden door. The age of the glass is uncertain. It does seem to be quite fine in design. Very unlikely to have any significant age. Fitting design.

There is evidence of renovation work. There is an altar in front.

I will be studying the history of coloured glass. Probably published an a separate page of the blog.