Stained Glass of Percy Bacon & Brothers

East window: Incarnation of our Lord.

East window: Baptism of Christ.

East window: Crucifixion.

East window: Appearance to Mary Magdalene.

East window: Right light detail: Three figures approach. This is a conflation of the differing gospel stories of the resurrection of Jesus, a common motif in Percy Bacon windows.

East window: Angel at the top of the left light.

East window: Top centre light detail. Pelican in its Piety.

East window: Three bees rebus, used by Percy Bacon and Brothers until c1896.

East Window. All photos © Dave Webster.

Posted 28 April 2026.

The east window of c1894 is an early example of the output of the firm of Percy Bacon & Brothers. Across three lights, it represents the baptism, crucifixion, and resurrection of Christ, each scene independently framed in its light by a highly elaborate architectonic niche with soaring canopies, and wide columns of predominantly white glass. This fulfils many of the requirements outlined in Bacon's manifesto of 1894.¹ The crucifixion scene is clearly after Schongauer. In the canopies of the outer lights angels hold scrolls: Left: "[This] is my beloved son." Right: "Touch me not." At the top of the centre light, a pelican in its piety.

The style of the figurative work is much like the east window at St Mary's, Mary Tavy, Devon, which was installed in the same year. It is clearly not by the hand of Percy Bacon himself, and may have been painted by his older brother Herbert.

A brass dedication plate fixed to the wall below the window reads;

In the background of the light representing Jesus appearing to Mary Magdalene three figures can be seen approaching. This is another example of Bacon including the gospels' different telling of the story of the resurrection of Jesus into a single scene. This conflation would be a recurring theme in coming years as can be seen in windows at Sandridge, Hertfordshire (c1899), Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol (1904), Watchet, Somerset (c1920).

The window is signed with the Three Bees rebus.

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1. Lecture given by Herbert Bacon to the Northern Architectural Association 17th January 1894.
2. Hodgson, John Crawford: A history of Northumberland, Vol VI, Hexhamshire, Pt II. 1897. P29.