Corpus of Percy Bacon

Stained Glass of Percy Bacon & Brothers

Exmouth, Holy Trinity

Devon

South Aisle: Wippell & Co. widow by George Cooper Abbs with original tracery from the
1907 scheme by Bacon.

Posted 15 December 2022.

Much of the Bacon Studios 1907 glazing scheme was lost due to bomb damage in 1942. Four windows in the north transept and south aisle were replaced post war by Wippell & Co. to designs by George Copper Abbs. These windows retain the original Bacon tracery lights. In addition one window in the north aisle and one in the south have figures of saints reset into plain quarries which, although not in their original locations, were recovered and presumably installed by Wippell & Co as part of the post-war renovation.

North transept: Original 1907 tracery above post-war Wippell & Co. window.

NTr2: Tracery above the Wippell window.

South Aisle: Original 1907 tracery above post-war Wippell & Co. window.

SA: Tracery above the Wippell Window

Click on an image above to start slide show.

Two rose windows above those in the north transept also contain the original (if somewhat restored) Bacon glass.

North transept: One of the rose windows with original Percy Bacon glass.

NTr: One of the rose windows.

North Aisle: Reset Bacon glass. Left: St Timothy. Right: St Stephen.

North Aisle: Ss Timothy & Stephen.

South Aisle: Reset Bacon glass. Left: St James the Less. Right: St James Major.

South Aisle: Ss James the Less and James Major.
The figure of St James Major was originally paired with
that of St Philip in the south aisle.¹

The Builder¹ reported the installation of a large two-light window in the south aisle depicting St Philip and St James as Bishops, with small subjects beneath each. The report did not elaborate what the subjects were, but it is possible they portrayed scenes of the saints' acts or an episode in their lives similar to those in St Lalluwy, Menheniot, Cornwall.

Many of the other windows in the church also retain the original tracery, though some can now only be viewed from the first floor function room.

Lost work

By August 1912 it was reported that upwards of £1,848 had been spent on stained glass at Holy Trinity,⁴ and by September 1924, all but one of the windows in the nave had painted glass.⁵ Aside from the reset figures illustrated above and the remnants of glass in most of the tracery lights, there are a few glimpses into the subject matter of other windows in the church which were filled with glass from the Bacon Studio. What has been collated to date is described below.

Sanctuary 1907. Part of the original scheme.⁶	Adam & Eve. Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Exact location to be established.
Nave 1907. Part of the original scheme.⁶	Subjects related to the incarnation. It is assumed that the article in the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette refers to the most easterly og the clerestory windows which are high above the sanctuary.
Sanctuary 1907. Part of the original scheme.¹	St Philip and St James. The image of St James was reset in plain quarries by Wippell & Co. after the 2nd World War (see above). The Builder of 2nd November 1907 reported the installation as follows; "HOLY TRINITY CHURCH, EXMOUTH: Messrs Bacon Bros have just executed a two light window on the south side of this church, St Philip and St James being depicted, with small subjects beneath each..."
West window 1910	The annual vestry meeting of 1910 for the parish of Littleham-cum-Exmouth discussed submitting a faculty for the great west window.² Reading from a description, probably written by Percy Bacon himself, the vicar described the proposed scheme for the window; "The main subject, treated in rich and glowing colour, is the transfiguration of our Lord, who is seen in the midst of flaming-like rays, within a cloud of angels. Flanking Him are, on one side Moses, with the tables of stone, engraved with the ten commandments, inspired by the Holy Ghost, and, on the other, Elias holding a sword, suggesting the sacrifice at the Brook of Kishan, where fire from Heaven consumed the victim, and the water in which it had been drenched, and the Priests of Baal were killed. Below these three figures are the Apostles Peter, John, and James, kneeling in awe and adoration. Beneath this principle theme are three panels depicting incidents from the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. On the left is the annunciation of the message, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon them". The centre picture is the baptism of our Lord, with the Holy Dove descending upon Him. The third shows the Holy Spirit being showered on the Apostles gathered at the Pentecost. A window with a similar theme described above, and attributed to the Bacon Studios can be seen at Snettisham, Norfolk (north aisle west). The window was donated by Mrs F. E. Squire.
South Aisle West 1910.³	St Simeon and St John the Baptist. Beneath Simeon: Presentation in the Temple. Beneath John: St John preaching in the wilderness. The window was donated by Mrs Sloman and Miss Ellis.
South Aisle 1910.⁷	Assumed by Percy Bacon & Brothers: Left Light; St Elizabeth, beneath which she is pictured teaching St John the Baptist to read. Inscription; "Blessed is She that believeth". Right Light: St Salome, beneath which the scene of her conversion. Inscription; "Who followed Him, ministered to Him". Donated by Colonel Tobin in memory of his mother, Louise Tobin (1819-1909)..

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

The Builder, 02 November 1907, p474.
Exmouth Journal - Saturday 09 April 1910, p9.
Exmouth Journal - Saturday 21 May 1910, p8.
Exmouth Journal - Saturday 03 August 1912. p8.
Exeter and Plymouth Gazette - Friday 12 September 1924, p9.
Exeter and Plymouth Gazette - Friday 01 November 1907, p14.
Exmouth Journal - Saturday 31 December 1910, p8.

Location Map:

NGR:SY 00216 80655
Sat Nav Post Code: EX8 2AB