Stained Glass of Percy Bacon & Brothers

North Aisle East: Parable of; the Prodigal Son, The Lost Silver, Good Samaritan.

Tower west, 1899. Top left lights: Ss Matthew and Mark.

Tower west, 1899. Top right lights: Ss Luke and John.

Tower west, 1899. Bottom left lights: Isaiah and Jeremiah.

Tower west, 1899. Bottom right lights: Ezekiel and Daniel.

Tower west, 1892. Top centre light by Cox & Co: Saint Peter.

Tower west, 1892. Bottom centre light by Cox & Co: Saint Paul.

St Nicholas Church, viewed from the south east.

Tower West. 1892-1899.

Posted 02 September 2023.

The lights in this window, representing, "the Church built upon the Apostles, Evangelists and Prophets", were provided with stained glass over a number of years, presumably as donors came forward, or funds allowed. The transomed window of ten lights depicts standing figures of saints and prophets:

Top row: St Matthew, St Mark, St Peter, St Luke, St John, each with their symbols.
Btm row: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Paul, Ezekiel, Daniel, their symbols on shields below.

The earliest mention of the stained glass is in a report in the Essex Newsman of 18th July 1891, when the Rev Ernest Geldart, Rector of Little Braxted, presented a design for the west window to the Communion (or Comminicant's) Guild of St Nicholas. Although approved, due to defective masonry this was delayed until repairs were made.¹ The first two lights installed were the centre ones representing St Peter and St Paul, executed by Cox & Co of London. These were inserted on the 30th April 1892.² The evening service collected over 47 shillings for "furthering the glazing of the west window".

Contemporary reports in the local press are incomplete, though stylistically all the other eight lights can be attributed to Percy Bacon. In early July of 1899 Percy Bacon would execute the two outer lights of the lower row, representing Isaiah and Daniel. These were dedicated in a ceremony on 9th July 1899.³ At this time the representations of Matthew and John (top outerlights) had already been inserted, though judging by the darker colouration of the yellow stain in the canopies in all the outer lights compared with the inner ones, they would have been manufactured at the same time. At some time later (at a date not yet establlished) Bacon would return to fix the four inner lights, which have a much more mellow colour to the yellow stain.

None of the lights are signed.

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South Aisle 1.
Left: The Holy family in the carpenter's workshop.
Centre: Jesus in the house of Marth and Mary of Bethany.
Right: Mary Magdalene and the other Mary meet Jesus at the empty tomb. (Matthew 28:8)

South Aisle 1.
Left: The Holy family in the carpenter's workshop.

South Aisle 1.
Centre: Jesus in the house of Marth and Mary of Bethany.

South Aisle 1.
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary meet Jesus at the empty tomb.

South Aisle 1.
Signature Panel.

South Aisle 1: 1910..

Posted 02 September 2023.

This three light square headed window with simple tracery, whose subject matter doubtless is informed by the dedicatee, represents, in stand-alone scenes within their own elaborate niches:

Left: The Holy family in the carpenter's workshop.
Centre: Jesus in the house of Martha and Mary of Bethany.
Right: Mary Magdalene and the other Mary meet Jesus at the empty tomb.

Each scene carries a scroll:

Left: "Mary hath kept all these things in her heart".
Centre: Mary hath chosen that good part".
Right: Jesus met them saying, "all hail". (Matthew 28:8).

In the tracery, simple vine leaf motifs.

The left light scene may be Bacon's interpretation of Luke 2:51; "And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart". It could also be drawn from the Apocryphal Infancy Gospel of St Thomas. Scenes in this window were used in others at St Mary Magdalene, Launceston, Cornwall (1910), North Creake, Norfolk, and also in New Bradwell (Milton Keynes).

The window is dedicated:

The window is signed PERCY BACON B^ros 11 NEWMAN ST. LONDON. W.

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1. Essex Newsman, 18th July 1891, p1.
2. Essex Newsman, 7th May 1892, p1.
3. Essex Standard, 15th July 1899, p7.