Stained Glass
With angels and archangels…
North Aisle Windows
Chapel – Side Windows
Chapel East Window
Great East Window
North Aisle Windows
The North Aisle windows, depicting six saints, were designed by Burlison & Grylls, a company founded by John Burlison and Thomas John Grylls in 1868. The pair were encouraged to go into business together by Bodley and Garner, and their windows appear regularly in Bodley’s churches.
This was the first window to recieve stained glass in St. Michael’s. It depicts St. Stephen, the first Christian Martyr, and St. Alban, the first Martyr in Britian. According to the 1923 history of St. Michael’s “the connection of the Martyrs with the Angels is intended to represent the fact that the Martyrs continued on earth the warfare with sin which St. Michael and the Angelic host began in heaven.” The image of St. Stephen was installed at Michaelmas 1884, and the image of St. Alban a year later
The July 1884 parish magazine states that:
Some time back the vicar received a promise of £10 from two sisters living in the parish to be spent on some distinct object in the Church. He was not able to suggest anything at the time, but when a second sum of £10 was set aside from the proceeds of the Sale of Work, it seemed possible at once to fill one of the lights of the window in the aisle with stained glass, and this has therefore been ordered, and will be completed probably before the festival.
The sale of work mentioned had been at 4 Gloucester Crescent on 24 and 25 April that year from 2pm to 8pm, with free admission and short recitations by Miss Maud Webster. The October 1884 issue added that the sum had been left by the sisters “in memory of their sister”, but unfortunately records no names. The inscription under St. Alban reads “To the glory of God and the dear memory of Thomas S. Butler, who entered into rest 17th September 1874.”
This window was installed in 1887 by Revd. A G Hunter, the first Assistant Priest of the Church. It depicts St. Pancras and St. Paul, representing the mother churches of the area (now Old St Pancras) and the Diocese of London respectively. They both hold swords, representing the instruments of their martyrdom, whilst St. Pancras (martyred in 304 AD aged 14) also holds a book indicating his reputation for learning.
The inscription reads “To the glory of God and in pious memory of Richard Hunter and Caroline his wife, the dearly loved parents of Archer G. Hunter, first Assistant Priest of this Church, AD 1877-1882.”
This window was dedicated at Michaelmas 1890. It represents St. Faith and St. Boniface. St. Faith was chosen as her feast occurs on 6th October, seven days after Michaelmas – this is known as the Octave of the festival (with the festival as day one and the octave as day eight). She was martyred on a grid-iron in France in 290AD, for refusing to sacrifice to pagan deities. Her death apparently inspired many bystanders to confess Christ and join her in Martyrdom. A chapel to St. Faith also stands in St. Paul’s Cathedral.
The inscription below St. Faith reads “To the glory of God and in loving memory of Blanche Wilhemina Corfe, who entered her heavenly rest 31st January 1882, aged 27 years.”
St. Boniface was an Englishman known for his missionary work in Germany. After being named Archbishop of Mainz, he was Martyred in 755AD. This saint was chosen as the window is dedicated to Edward Vickeris Burridge, a Mission Priest who had led a Mission to Men in the St Michael’s parish in 1888. Blance Corfe (née Burridge) was his sister.
The inscription below St. Boniface reads “To the glory of God and in loving memory of Edward Vickeris Burridge, Priest and Missioner, who fell asleep 10th July 1889, aged 39 years. Beloved children of a sorrowing Mother. RIP.”
Chapel – Side Windows
Like the North Aisle windows, the windows in the Resurrection Chapel were executed by Burlison and Grylls. These were completed at different times, ranging from 1898 to 1911. The earliest was the window nearest the Altar showing the Confession of St Thomas, dedicated at Michaelmas 1898, though its figure of Christ is not original but a new one substituted in 1899 as part of alterations to the panel during the installation of the Supper at Emmaus panel next to it ready for dedication at Michaelmas 1899. In the words of the October 1899 parish magazine, these alterations were:
by Mr Garner’s direction … The figure of our Lord as He appears to Thomas, has never been considered very satisfactory, and it would probably have been altered long ago, only Mr Garner could not find time to come and see it. A fresh figure is therefore now to be substituted, and we hope that the whole window will now be as successful as the greater part of it has always been.
As its inscription shows, the Emmaus scene was given in memory of Thomas Percy Atchison, who had been the church’s second organist for thirteen years. He had retired to Folkestone on the east Kent coast, where he died on 12th May 1899. The Confession scene was in memory of an active parishoner, Susanna Braine, who had died on 23rd March 1895.
The former scene is captioned “He was known of them in the breaking of bread,” and the latter “And Thomas answered and said, ‘My Lord and my God’.” Below are the four Evangelists, St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke and St. John. Above, an Angel bears a banner reading “But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept.”
The two panels nearest the door were both installed and dedicated at Epiphany 1911, making them the most recent windows in the church. The money for them was left for that purpose by Mary Bunker, Fr. Penfold’s housekeeper, who had died on 25th August 1910. They depict two more Resurrection scenes: the women appearing at the tomb to be told “he is risen,” and the Lord’s appearance to Mary Magdelene. These are captioned respectively “fear ye not” and “touch me not.” Below these images are the four Latin Fathers of the Church, St. Jerome, St. Gregory, St. Augustine of Hippo and St. Ambrose. Above is an Angel bearing a scroll which reads “I am the Resurrection and the Life.”
Chapel East Window
Along with the Great East Window, the new Chancel, and the brass of Fr. Penfold, this window was dedicated at the Octave of the Ascension, 2nd June 1908, by Frederick Temple, Bishop of London. Like the brass, the pulpit and the Great East Window, it is a memorial to Fr. Penfold.
The Crucified Christ is accompanied by Our Lady and St John, and surrounded by angels. Two of these angels adore the Crucified, while the others hold emblems of Our Lady: ‘the Star of Jacob,’ ‘the Garden enclosed,’ ‘the closed Door,’ ‘the Tower of David,’ ‘the Lily of the Valley,’ and ‘the Mystic Rose.’ The inscription reads “Remember before God Edward Bainbridge Penfold, first Vicar of this Parish, who died 29th July 1907; in loving memory of whose life and teaching this Window is here placed by his Parishoners and Friends.”
Great East Window
The great East Window of St Michael’s, depcting the throne of God attended by angels and archangels, is the work of Charles Eamer Kempe. Kempe was a long-time collaborator of GF Bodley, and worked prolifically in the late 19th Century.
At the foot of the throne stands the Archangel Michael as he appears in the Book of Revelation:
And war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels fought back, but they were defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. The great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
To either side of St Michael stand the Archangels Gabriel (holding a banner inscribed ‘Ave Maria gra ple’ [Hail Mary, full of Grace]) and Raphael.
The Angels surrounding the throne offer incense, hold the Lord’s train, or bear scrolls inscribed with the following phrases from the Psalms (in Latin):
‘O praise God in His holiness,’ (Ps. 150) ‘The sea is His and He made it, and His hands prepared the dry land,’ ‘O come, let us worship and fall down, and kneel before the Lord our Maker, for He is the Lord our God,’ (Ps. 95) ‘The Lord is King, and hath put on golrious apparel.’ (Ps. 93).
The East Window was a gift from Fr. Penfold on his death. The inscription reads ‘Remember before God Edward Bainbridge Penfold, first Vicar of this Parish, who died 29th July 1907, by whose desire, and at whose charge, this Window is here placed in praise of Almighty God and in honour of His holy Angels.’