Stained Glass of Percy Bacon & Brothers

St Mary the Virgin, Longframlington, Northumberland. Built circa 1190. Porch added in 14th century and bellcote circa 1740.

View of the 12th century chancel arch with triple detached supporting shafts and scalloped capitals.

St Mary the Virgin, Longframlington.

Posted 17 April 2023

St Mary the Virgin was built around 1190, probably on the site of an earlier Saxon church. The deeply splayed round-headed lancet windows on the south side, and the splendid chancel arch supported on each side by three detached columns and carved capitals attests to its Romanesque heritage. The west wall which contains two lancets filled with Bacon Studios glass are separated by an external buttress, probably installed around 1740 at the time the double bellcote was added. It is thought this blocks the original west door.¹ The church was restored in 1896 by Hicks and Charlewood of Newcastle.²

There are four Bacon Studios windows in St Mary's, described below..

Back to top

East Window; Circa 1921. Ascension and Crowning of Christ.

East Window; Circa 1921. Ascension and Crowning of Christ.

East Window; Circa 1921. Detail of the allegorical city. Note the figure in the river to the left possibly signifying the baptism and beginning of Jesus's earthly ministry.

East Window; Circa 1921. Detail of signature, partially obscured by the reredos.

East Window: Circa 1923.

The east wall contains three round headed windows, the central one wider than the outer two which contain plain quarries. The central window by Percy Bacon represents the ascension of Christ and his coronation as King of Heaven and the beginning of his heavenly ministry. He is depicted rising from a grass knoll above an allegorical city through which two rivers run, the one on the left flows through an arch in the city walls, where a figure can be seen standing in the water, perhaps signifying the beginning of Jesus's earthly ministry. Above Him are two angels holding the crown. Beneath the figurative panel an inscription quoting John 12:23 reads: "I, IF I BE LIFTED UP WILL DRAW ALL MEN UNTO ME" [sic - the prefixed "and" seems to be missing].

The window is dedicated to the memory of John Charles James Fenwick MD. who died 10th November 1921.

The date of the window is inferred from the faculty papers held by the Northumberland Archives, which is signed by Percy Bacon, stained glass artist of Endsleigh Gardens, London. This may be one of the first windows produced by the firm following their move from 11 Newman Street in 1923.³

The window is signed "Percy Bacon, London".

Back to top

South Nave 2: Suffer little children to com unto me.

South Nave 2: Detail.

South Nave 2: Detail.

South Nave 2: Detail.

South Nave 2: 1911..

A simple round-headed window with deep internal splay depicts Jesus with little children. The banner above reads: "Suffer little children to come unto me".

The window is dedicated to the memory of Mary Mitcheson 1835-1904 and Jane Sarah Storer 1935-1911. Jane was the daughter of William and Jane Storer who are commemorated in the window she donated on the north side of the west wall. The date of the window's execution is confirmed from the faculty papers held by Northumberland Archives which includes the original cartoon, approved by H. B. Hooper, Archdeacon of Lindisfarne, 27th July 1911.⁴

The window is unsigned.

Back to top

South West Nave: Madonna & Child.

North West Nave: Detail.

South West Nave: Detail.

South West Nave: Detail.

North West Nave.

South West Nave: Christ the Good Shepherd.

South West Nave: Detail.

North West Nave: Madonna & Child.

North West Nave: Detail.

South West Nave.

The two lancet in the west wall of the nave depict; on the south side, Jesus the Good Shepherd, and on the north, The Blessed Virgin and Child. These appear to be a pair, installed at the same time, both donated by Jane Sarah Storer (d. 1911) who is commemorated in the Bacon south nave window (see above). Only the south window is signed with the Bacon Shield. This dates the windows to between 1896 and 1898 during which period the shield was used until changing to the simple signature we see throughout the rest of the firm's existence..

Both windows use identical architechtonic niches of light glass, so beloved of the Bacon Studios. The south window is dedicated to the memories of Jane's brothers, (both William); William Robert Thompson Storer who died when only one year old, and William George Storer (d. 1890). The north window is dedicated to Jane's father and mother, William and Jane. It would appear the Storers had little imagination when it came to names!

South west window signature panel; The Bacon Shield.

Back to top

1. National Churches Trust website entry for St Mary the Virgin, Longframlington.
2. Northumberland Archives. Faculty papers relating to the restoration of Longframlington parish church, Northumberland. Ref DN/E/8/2/2/91.
3. Northumberland Archives. Ref DN/E/8/2/2/844.
4. Northumberland Archives. Ref DN/E/8/2/2/415.