Stained Glass of Percy Bacon & Brothers

St Mary's, Stannington, Northumberland. Built from designs by R. J. Johnson of Newcastle in 1871.

St Mary's, Stannington, Northumberland viewed from the south west. Built from designs by R. J. Johnson of Newcastle in 1871.

Old St Mary's, Stannington. Photograph published in the Proceeding by the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne Vol X; Jan 1901 - Dec 1902, p123.

Old St Mary's, Stannington. It can be seen from this photograph of circa 1870 just before it was demolished how much the church had been altered over the years, but also what a sad state of affairs it had become.

Plan of Old St Mary's, Stannington. Published in the Proceeding by the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne Vol X; Jan 1901 - Dec 1902, p125. From a drawing by Bonomi & Cory of Durham, made in 1846.
The pillars separating the nave from the south aisle which are shown on the plan are still in their original place. On taking down the north wall of the old church the pillars which had separated the nave from a previous north aisle were found fully embedded, and these were apparently reused also.

View of the nave with the round Norman pillars reused from the olriginal church.

St Mary's, Stannington, Northumberland.

Posted 19 April 2023.

Pevsner suggests that St Mary's, Stannington is one of Robert James Johnson's best churches, and it is hard to argue.¹ The original Norman church was built in 1190 by the De Merley family,² but by the 1860s had fallen into decay and it was torn down in 1870 to be replaced with the beautiful edifice we see today. The new church, costing £6.000 was consecrated by the Bishop of Durham on 31st October 1871. Funds for the new church were raised primarily by Sir Matthew White Ridley, Bart. of Blagdon who was a lay rector at the church, other local landowners, and trustees of the Netherton Reformatory. So comprehensively was the old church St Mary's Stannington old church before demolition in 1870.

removed that little remained.³ Some of the original stained glass from the old church St Mary's Stannington old church before demolition in 1870.

was used in the chancel of the new, but this seems to have been moved to the vestry [unconfirmed], replaced by works of the Bacon Studio. Some items, were reused for the new church, such as the pillars separating the nave from the south aisle, and the stones of the north east arch. On taking down the north wall of the old church pillars which had separated the nave from a previous north aisel were found fully embedded, and these were apparently reused.⁴

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SC1: Faith and St Cecilia.

SC1 Left light: Faith, beneath whom the arms of Sir Matthew White Ridley Baronet.

SC1 Right light: St Cecilia, beneath whom the arms of Mary (nee Marjoriebanks, wife of Sir Matthew White Ridley Baronet.

Tracery lights.

SC1: Allegorical figure of a woman (possibly Faith) and
St Cecilia.

Posted 19 April 2023.

A two light window with rose tracery representing an allegorical woman (possibly Faith) in the left light and St Cecilia in the right. This window is classic Percy Bacon early work, each figure standing in a highly elaborate architectonic niche with wide columns all of white glass and yellow stain. Each figure is attended by two diminutive angels, those over the left hand figure placing roses in her hair. One above Cecilia helpfully pumps the bellows of her organ while another holds a banner which reads, "Jesu, corona Virginum", referring to the hymn that was historically used at Vespers and Lauds of the Common of Virgins. In the rose tracery an angel plays the harp surrounded by putti, the latter being repeated in all the Bacon windows in the chancel.

The inscription reads:

Cecilia Marjorie Ridley was the daughter of Sir Matthew White Ridley, Bar^t. of Blagdon Hall. The predella bears his arms; Quarterly 1 and 4, gules on a chevron between three falcons argent, as many pellets (for Ridley); 2 and 3 argent, three cocks' heads erased sable, combed and wattled proper for White; Upon the escutcheon, which is charged with his badge of Ulster as a Baronet.⁵ The family motto, "Constans Fidei" might lead one to think the unidentified allegorical figure in the left light is a representation of the Virtue of Faith. She holds a sword and a palm frond, a symbol of victory, triumph, peace, and eternal life. The predella of the right light contains the arms of Sir Matthew Ridley's wife Georgina (nee Marjoribanks): Argent, on a chief gules, a cushion between two spur rowels of the field.⁶

The chancel east window by Clayton and Bell commemorates Sir Matthew White Ridley.

The window is signed using the Bacon Shield rebus.

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NC1: Annunciation to the Virgin Mary.

NC1: Annunciation to the Virgin Mary: Angel Gabriel, beneath whom the arms of Sire Matthew White Ridley, Baronet.

NC1: Annunciation to the Virgin Mary: BVM, beneath whom the arms of Mary Ridley, wife of Sir Matthew Ridley (Marjoriebanks).

NC1: Tracery lights.

NC1: Arms of Mary Ridley, wife of Sir Matthew Ridley (Marjoriebanks), and Bacon shield rebus.

SC1: Allegorical figure of a woman (possibly justice) and
St Cecilia.

Posted 19 April 2023.

The east end north and south chancel windows were installed as a pair, and follow the same general design. The north chancel window depicts the annunciation to the Virgin Mary. In the rose tracery an angel holds a bunch of lilies, and like the south window is surrounded by putti.

The inscription is identical to that in the south chancel 1 window::

The arms in the predella are also repeats of those in the window opposite.

The window is signed with the Bacon shield.

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1. Pevsner, N. Grindy J. & Ryder, P: The Buildings of England, Northumberland. Penguin, 1992. p108.
2. Morpeth Herald - Saturday 04 November 1871, p3. Report on the consecration of the new church.
3. Morpeth Herald, saturday 13th May 1899
4. Proceedings by Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne Vol X; Jan 1901 - Dec 1902, p122.
5. Fox-Davies, A. C. 1895. Armorial families : a complete peerage, baronetage, and knightage, and a directory of some gentlemen of coat-armour, and being the first attempt to show which arms in use at the moment are borne by legal authority. p1033.
6. Ibid.