Percy Bacon Stained Glass; Cumwhitton, Cumbria

Stained Glass of Percy Bacon

Cumwhitton, St Mary

Cumbria

Chancel East. Charity and angels 1924.

Chancel East Window: Charity and angels.

Chancel east window: Charity and Angels: 1924

Posted 11 March 2022

Although no specific confirmation has so far come to light that this window is by Percy Bacon, Pevsner¹ gives it to him, as does Leslie Smith², and it is hard to disagree. The figurative work is perhaps some of the finest of all the studio's output. Here the artist has managed to render the flesh tones in Charity's face perfectly, almost porcelain like. Above the standing figure of Charity an inscription quoting the Epistle of James 3:17 is uncharacteristically plain, written in block capitals, each word separated rather curiously with a colon. It reads:

THE WISDOM THAT IS FROM ABOVE IS FIRST PURE THEN PEACEABLE GENTLE AND EASY TO BE INTREATED FULL OF MERCY AND GOOD FRUITS

None of the lettering in the window seems to be from the hand of Percy Bacon, and doubtless this commission was not painted by him, though who the artist was is not known. Beneath Charity the dedication reads:

TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN BELOVED MEMORY OF CLARA, WIFE OF JOHN WILLIAM, HOULGATE WALTON-ON-THAMES, DAUGHTER OF THOMAS AND CATHERINE BLACKLOCK FORMERLY OF THIS PARISH: THIS WINDOW IS PLACED BY HER HUSBAND JUNE 1924.

An undated watercolour which hangs in the north aisle shows an earlier window which Bacon replaced.

The window is unsigned.

North Aisle 2: St Luke the Physician: 1916

North Aisle 2: St Luke the Physician 1916.

Note the exquisite detail on the book cover.

North Aisle 2: St Luke the Physician.

A simple single round-headed light with a depiction of St Luke the Physician holding a book, right hand raised in benediction. The inscription reads:

Placed here by Parishioners in Memory of
Rev. W Maudsley, Vicar. 1876-1916

Leslie Smith again gives this to Percy Bacon². The style is certainly his, and the characteristic Bacon style capital in S. Luke is a bit of a give-away.

The window is unsigned.

References: Use your browser's Back button to return to text.

Hyde, Matthew: The Buildings of England, Cumbria : Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness, 2010, p320.
Smith Leslie N. S: The Stained Glass in the Churches of The Anglican Diocese of Carlisle, Cumberland and Westmorland'
Antiquarian & Archeological Society, 1994.

Location Map:

NGR: NY 50627 52253
Sat Nav Post Code: CA8 9EX