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Look at the plan drawn above to see where our tour of the windows starts and finishes. Each window is numbered W1, W2 etc, and commences at the main doorway and leads you around the Church in a clockwise direction. Do visit the Church to see the windows for yourself.
From the plan, turn left as you enter the church, the first two windows are a pair W1 and W2, these are the newest windows , dating from 1972, and they were designed and made by Lawrence Lee A.R.C.A. of Penshurst in Kent. They were installed by local man Joe Barnard and were given through a legacy of the late Miss.M.A.Taylor, in memory of her parents and sister who had been local farmers.
Book of Remembrance
At that time the Book of Remembrance had been installed in a cabinet below the windows, also at that time the church had received, (from the Revd. John Stevens), a font of Derbyshire marble which he had obtained from St. Asaph’s Cathedral in Denbighshire - it was no longer required by them. The font was placed near the Book of Remembrance, which was a much more convenient place for Baptisms than the original font. As a consequence of this, the artist was asked to design the windows with the theme of Birth/Baptism and Death/The Book of Remembrance. All of the other windows date from between 1851 and 1900, and are thought to be by Hardman of Birmingham.
The two new windows, whilst following the traditional narrative form of telling a biblical story, were more complex and the more one studies them the more one discovers. The Old and the New Testaments have been deliberately mixed in both windows suggesting the continuity of God’s working in history. There is a general feeling of fluttering wings giving the pervading influence of the Holy Spirit and the underlying structure of the windows is triangular (Holy Trinity) and circular (eternity)
W1. New birth – the Old Testament Trinity (The Patriarchs – Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) – Jacob’s ladder –The Passion – The Resurrection – The gift of the Holy Spirit and at the top the Spirit ascending (an ascending dove).
W2. Human birth – The Nativity – Visions of Isaiah – Daniel in the furnace – The presentation in the Temple – and the Pieta (the death of Jesus). At the top a descending dove (The Spirit descending).
W3. Can be seen above the organ pipes , a large ‘rose’ window given by the Geological Society, through the initiative of Professor Buckman of the Royal Agricultural College.. It shows scenes from Genesis – Adam & Eve, Noah’s Ark – The Spirit ascending and descending.
W4. Again a pair of windows given by The Revd. W.H.Stanton with the theme of The Good Shepherd. They include the words “To Him the porter openeth and the sheep hear His voice.” “Rejoice with me for I have found my sheep which was lost.” ‘He layeth it on His shoulder rejoicing. “Lovest thou me? Feed my sheep”’
W5. Above the high altar there are three lancet windows (long & narrow). The central one is called a Jesse window because it shows the family tree of Jesse through to Jesus and His Ascension. From the bottom upwards we have Jesse David, Solomon, Joseph, The birth of Christ, His crucifixion, and a rather strange representation of the Ascension, two feet disappearing into a cloud! In the left window John the Baptist, St Peter, St. James the Great, St.John, St.Stephen, and St. Paul. In the right window are women of the New Testament, St. Elizabeth, St. Martha, St. Mary of Bethany, Mary Magdalene, St. Dorcas, and St.Priscilla. These three windows were given by Mr.C.W. Lawrence in memory of his wife, (he was from Chesterton House we believe).
W6. In the south of the sanctuary, this window has an interesting history, it was the very first stained glass window in the church, but it was made originally for Tetbury Parish Church and found to be unsuitable. Canon Powell got to hear about it and with suitable payment and public subscription, obtained it for the new church at Watermoor.
This window is also in two parts, the first showing Moses receiving the tablets of the law “The Law was given by Moses”, and the other showing the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Whitsun) “Grace and Truth by IHS ” .
This window was in position only until 1911, when it was replaced with plain glass to admit more light. The church was considered very dark, depending on only a few gas lights and candles. The window then rested in a crate of straw in the clock room, for some 60 odd years, few people knew of it’s existence, until a curate came to the Parish church whose wife worked at the Corinium Museum. They were The Rev.Tom and Mrs Alison Merry. They asked if the museum could use the window and several other things hymn boards, small pews etc. in the museum as part of a Victorian/Edwardian exhibition. So, a small Chapel was created inside the museum with the stained glass in windows facing Silver Street. Of course many members of the Church saw them and asked why were they no longer in Holy Trinity? The church then had no real lighting problems and so Mr. Joe Barnard was asked to prop them up into position inside the existing plain glass. There they stayed for another year or two, they were then taken down and restored, before being installed as they are now. They are very colourful and are best seen when sunlight streams through them, sending shafts of colour across the Chancel and Sanctuary, especially during the 10am service on a Sunday.
W7. This is behind the altar in the Lady (or St.Lukes’s) Chapel. It depicts the Resurrection of our Lord, and it was given in 1868 in memory of Major William Milligan by his widow.
W8. This window depicts the raising of Jairus’s Daughter. Given in memory of Mrs. Charles Sewell in 1890 “She is not dead but sleepeth".
W9. The Raising of Lazarus, given in 1891 in memory of Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Sewell, “I am the Resurrection and the Life” Joseph Sewell had been a Church Warden for 23 years.
W10. This is a plain glass window—what does the future hold?
W11. The Divine Healer. Given by Miss. Esther Young in memory of her sister Miss. Elizabeth Young in 1884. “All they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto Him”.
W12. Known as ‘The West Window’. The Epiphany Story (The Coming of the Wise Men). Given in 1878 by the Misses Elizabeth & Esther Young in memory of their parents. “The Kings of Tarsish and the Isles shall bring presents” “The Kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer Gifts”.
W13 & 14. (in the ringing chamber). Eli and Samuel in the Temple, also Christ blessing a child. Given in 1853 (a very early window), by Professor Buckman of The Royal Agricultural College, in memory of Conrad & Elizabeth Buckman his children.
W15. The Presentation in the Temple and the Flight into Egypt, given by The Rev.W.F.Norris (who was the first Priest in Charge at Holy Trinity ) in memory of his daughter.
W16. The ‘David’ window which is now in the Choir Vestry and not easily seen. It was given by the schoolchildren, and was placed in the south wall of the Chancel behind the Choir stalls. In 1860 it was moved into the aisle when the south aisle was extended and then into the Choir Vestry in 1901 when the Vestry was built as part of the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the Church.
I hope that you will be able to come into the Church and see the above windows which are truly beautiful. See if you can read the narrative in each window and other parts of this wonderful Holy Trinity Church in this its 150th Anniversary year.
In the next report I will be reporting on the bells, the organ and the clock which also have fascinating stories. In a later report I will list all the Curates who have served in the Church since it was built. I hope that you are enjoying this series on Holy Trinity Watermoor as much as I have enjoyed researching it.
Many thanks to Tony Clack for this contribution
See also:
Part 1 : The Beginnings of the Idea
Part 2 : The Construction
Part 3 : The Consecration
Part 4 : The Church Layout and Additions
Part 5 : The Church Windows
Part 6 : Sights, Sounds & Timing - the Bells
Part 7 : Further Assets & the Curate Register
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