Stained Glass: Essays

Page 3

Continuing our journey across the east window we come to the central light of the five; light 3.

Light 3 (Centre):

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Panel 9:

As with panel 1 here we see intricate canopies with niches and crocketed spirelets. Mostly white glass with silver stain, the outermost columns are extended down to the lower panel which serves to frame the bishop and other figures.

Panel 10:

Arme Christi: Representation of the five sacred wounds surrounded by saints: Pierced hands and feet placed in saltire around a bleeding heart, the whole surrounded by a thorn of crowns. Below, a crowned head, possibly Saint Catherine after one of the chantry dedications.

Panel 11:

St Andrew disembarks from his boat alone. He carries a book, presumably a bible. The caption above reads, "S | Andrew out | of chyp goes | and entyres ye | cyte of Wrondon."

Panel 12:

St Andrew surrounded by people and a gate with portcullis behind. In front there is an embattled wall. A curious feature is the diminutive figure with two keys tied to a stick. The caption reads, "Her be k | a bysshop | xb kepers ye qwylke | keypd ye prson."

Panel 11 continues the apocryphal story of the Acts of Ss Andrew and Matthew in the City of the Man-eaters. Here we see St Andrew disembarking from his boat. What is clear from this panel is the quality of the figurative painting, particularly in the face of the saint, and the attempt at perspective. Andrew holds a book with a clasp on which he rests his right hand. It is presumably a bible, though the cover is not embellished with a cross. In the background we can see a fortified gate representing his entry into the city. Fragments of ancient glass pepper the areas around the main theme and it is possible to identify the themes depicted even if impossible to imagine how they fitted into the original scheme. Illustrate below are examples of fragments which appear to be from armorial devices.

Light 4:

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Panel 13:

The Virgin Mary, a dove descending on a beam of light. A typical Annunciation scene.

Panel 14:

A family group of eleven kneeling figures. In front of them at a carved desk kneels their mother, a rosary hanging at her right side. They are all in prayer.

Panel 15:

A saint preaches from a prison cell window to a group of people outside. One of the people is crowned and holds a key on a chain. The label reads: "Long tyme wer | sct | cryst | wyght gyfts | mathew here his foly."

Panel 16:

Naked figures of men and women rise up from the water. St Andrew stands in the centre facing other figures, one a king. The label reads; "Comes Andrew | to ye cyte and baptyst nie | pined by cr |."

Panel 13 is clearly taken from an annunciation scene. The Virgin dressed in red and gold robes sits under canopies looking rather sullen as a shaft of golden light bearing a dove shines down on her, a white lily to her left. This is likely to have been taken from another window and inserted here, possibly during the renovation of the chancel in 1654, but without the attendant Angel Gabriel. Below the Virgin is a diamond quarry with the initials "HA" in gothic script. As was mentioned on Page 1, in an article published in the online magazine Vidimus⁷ that this panel and that depicting a bishop (possibly Thomas Becket) have great similarities with the work of the York glazers under Sir John Petty (d. 1508).

Panel 14 is another donor panel. There are eleven kneeling figures in total. To the right, kneeling in prayer at her desk is the mother, and behind her ten children, five boys and five girls to the rear. The mother is dressed in a red robe (the glass is rather dirty and so the colour rather muted so is not immediately apparent) with a black headdress with pendant lappets placed over a kerchief in the style of that worn during Henry VII and Henry VIII's reigns. At the front of the headdress is an aigrette as if for feathers. By her side hangs a rosary. The boys appear to be dressed in blue doublets with green waistbands, the girls in red dresses with bejewelled circlets on their heads. One of the boys has hanging from his belt a gypciere (or purse) which might distinguish him as the heir. The Rev Lees⁵ suggests this grouping depicts Elizabeth (d. 1552), 5th daughter of George Talbot, 4th Earl of Shrewsbury and the wife of William (Dacre), 3rd Baron Dacre of Gillesland, Greystoke and Wemme, and her numerous children. The History and Antiquities of Cumberland¹ lists 9 children of William and Elizabeth, not ten. It is thought by Lees that the fifth boy is their grandson George⁵. However, George died in 1569, so it is more likely that the fifth male figure is Francis, son of Elizabeth's first son, Thomas (later 4th Baron Dacre). Francis died in infancy⁶. William Dacre, 3rd Baron Dacre died in 1563/4, that is after his wife. However, he is absent from this panel. If the panel does indeed represent his family as living donors it would indicate that this particular glass was made in the 16th century. Given the vicissitudes exacted on the glass over the centuries it is not out of the question that the image of William has been lost in the jumbled remains! The label above the group (which appears to be back to front) Rev Lees believed is associated with Panel 6 (three kneeling figures - see page 2). The label below the group reads, "Ora Archdiacon" - Pray for the Archdeacon. This is thought to be part of an inscription originally dedicated to Archdeacon Burbank whose name appears in Panel 6. There is a cute embellishment of the "O" in the word "Ora" which contains the likeness of a man. One wonders whether this is Archdeacon Burbank himself!

Panel 15 continues the story. This panel is rather difficult to interpret. Although there is a saint in prison and the words on the label suggest this is Matthew who has realised his folly at going to the city of the man-eaters, Lees ascribes this panel to the section in the story where the executioners gather up people to be slain and eaten, and one old man offers up his son and daughter in his stead. As the poor souls are led to the trough to be boiled Andrew prays and the knives fell from the executioners hands. However, by this time in the narrative Matthew had already been rescued from prison and sent on his way along with other released prisoners. So this panel is a conundrum. What can be seen is a group of people, one a king, and at least one holding a knife and another holding a larger stick over his shoulder with a key on a chain (perhaps the jailor coming to release more victims for the pot?). To the right is what appears to be a trough which Lees suggests is the pot in which the executed people are to be cooked.

Panel 16: Andrew has unleashed the flood which has drowned so many of the evil men and the survivors resolve to release Andrew. Here he is shown restoring the drowned souls back to life and baptising them. Behind him the door of the keep is now blocked with a tree.

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