Stained Glass of Percy Bacon & Brothers

St Andrew's after the fire of February 1908.
From a postcard in the author's collection.

North Aisle 4; He Shall Feed His Flock, and a young Christ teaching in the temple; 1903, dedicated 1925.

St Andrew's after the fire in 1908.

On the 8th of February 1908 a fire broke out in the north aisle of the church, probably caused by a spark from the stove which had been ejected by a down draught. The fire quickly spread, fanned by the strong breeze, and before the volunteer fire brigade had reached the scene, the church was beyond saving. As the smoke cleared all that remained standing were the walls. The building was insured for £2,730, far below the estimate of £5,500 to effect repairs. With a great fundraising effort, including that by the incumbent vicar who charged for people to take photographs, by November 1909 the building had been restored. However, funds did not run to anything other than plain glass in the windows. Beautification would have to wait.¹

East window:: Ascension of Christ.

East Window: Upper centre panel.

East Window: Lower left panel.

East Window: Lower ctr left panel.

East Window: Lower ctr panel.

East Window: Lower ctr right panel.

East Window: Lower right panel.

East Window: Angels - Upper left.

East Window: Angels - Upper right.

East Window: Detail.

East Window: Detail.

East Window: Tracery Left - four prophets.

East Window: Tracery right - four evangelists.

East Window, c 1910. Ascension of Christ.

Posted 23 July 2024.

There is a single Bacon Studios window in St Andrew's - the east. Of five lights and tracery it represents the Ascension of Christ. The window was unveiled in a dedication ceremony led by the Bishop of Ripon on 28^th February 1913.²

Christ occupies the upper portion of the central light and is flanked by angels, the outer ones playing musical instruments, while the other two hold scrolls with verses from Psalm 24:7, "Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up" and "ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in". In the lower panels the disciples look on. In the lower tracery lights representations of (left) four prophets - Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, and (right) the four evangelists. Above them, lights with arma christi, angels, and Alpha and Omega symbols.

The window is another unusual example of the output of the Bacon Studios, and is executed in a style not unlike the east window at St Mary Magdalene, Ecton, Northamptonshire, with similar bold colouration, blocky glass and lack of architectonic devices or borders, allowing the scene to spread across the whole window, as if the mullions did not exist. It is probable that this window and that at Ecton were painted by the same hand, and not by Percy Bacon himself.

The window is unsigned.

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1. See Kirkby Malzeard and Laverton History website. Article about the fire of 1908.
2. Report of dedication ceremony, and confirmation of maker, Ripon Observer - Thursday 06 March 1913, p5.