St James the Great, Thorley

Windows

 

A transcription of the wording on the plaque associated with a window may be viewed by clicking on the relevant image

 

The south-west window in the nave

 

 

All of the stained glass in the Church dates from the nineteenth century.

That in the south west window in the nave, which has two lights, is in memory of Charles Brunton of Morley, Wareside, who died in 1857 and his wife Sarah Brunton, who died in 1866. It is the work of John Hardman and depicts the presentation of Christ in the temple (Luke 2:21-39) and shows the Holy Family with Simeon and Anna.

 

 

 

The lancet window in the south wall of the nave

 

 

On the opposite side of the south door is a lancet window which contains glass given by the Officers, non Commissioned Officers and Members of the First Herts Light Horse, of which Revd Fredeick Vander Meulen, Rector of Thorley from 1853 until his death in 1882, was Chaplain. It is dated 1866 and shows Cornelius being visited by an angel. The angel holds a scroll with the words "Cornelius, thy prayer is heard" (Acts 10:31).

To the east of this is a window with two lights which contains plain glass.

 

 

The north-west window in the nave

 

 

 

The north west window in the nave has two lights and contains glass in memory of Charles Brunton of Morley House, Wareside who died in 1874. It is the work of John Hardman and shows Jesus healing the crippled man at the pool called Bethesda and has the text "Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed and walk" (John 5:8).

 

 

The lancet window in the north wall of the nave

 

 

Adjacent to this is, on the other side of the memorial to those who served and gave their lives in the First World War, is a lancet window with glass in memory of Mary Ann Fowler of Thorley Hall who died in 1864. It is the work of John Hardman and depicts Mary Magdalene under a cross.

To the east of this is a window with two lights which contains plain glass.

 

 

The west window in the glass enclosed ringing chamber of the Tower has three lights. It was designed by Pritchett and installed in 1848. It contains glass with the text "The trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised'' ( I Corinthians 15:52). The glass in the central light shows the Ascension and is in memory of Martha Harrison who died in 1855.

The central light of the west windowThe left light of the west windowThe right light of the west window

The left light contains glass in memory of Eliza Kensington who died in 1858. It shows the raising of the daughter of Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue, with the text ''Pray unto thee arise" (Mark 5:41 "I say unto thee arise"). The right light contains glass is in memory of Frederick Vander Meulen who died in 1851. It shows the raising of Lazarus with the text "Lazarus, come forth" (John 11:43).

The top tracery light contains a depiction of the star of David.

The top tracery light of the west window

The painting of the glass in this window is c1860, although it is in the style of the 18th Century which is termed pre-Puginesque.

 

The east window

 

 

 

The east window in the chancel has glass given by the officers of the First Herts Light Horse Volunteers. The upper portion depicts the Crucifixion of Christ and has the text "Christ Jesus humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Philippians 2:8). The lower portion depicts Christ's burial and has the text "And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb" (Matthew 27:59-60). The stained glass is the work of John Hardman. This window has three lights and was installed in 1868 in place of a large five-light window that had ben installed during the major restoration works of 1855, but was found to be too wide for its height.

 

The north-east lancet window in the chancel

 

 

 

At the east end of the north wall of the chancel is a lancet window with glass in memory of Gilbert Barker who died in 1867. It shows St James the Great.

 

 

The north-west lancet window in the chancel

 

 

To the west of this is another lancet window with glass in memory of Georgiana Francisca Barker, who died in 1864, and George Barker of the Second Battalion of the Twelfth Bengal Native Infantry who died with his regiment in India in 1818. It shows Jesus knocking at the door ("Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Revelation 3:20).

The south-east chancel window

 

 

 

The south east chancel window is of two lights and is in memory of Thomas Gooch formerly of Twyford House who died in 1865. The left light shows the Nativity and has the text "And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory" (John 1:14). The right light depicts Jesus carrying the Cross and bears the inscription "Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows" (Isaiah 43:4).

 

 

 

The south-east lancet window in the chancel

 

To the west of this is a lancet window depicting St Alban, which is in memory of Gilbert Ironside Bax, of the Forty Eighth Regiment of the Bengal Infantry who was killed in India in 1857.

Further to the west is a window with two lights which formerly contained stained glass in memory of John Bax of the Indian Civil Service, who died at Wiesbaden in 1863, depicting Christ, the Shepherd, and the good Samaritan. In the 1950s it was in a poor state of repair and was replaced with plain glass.

 

 

 

Philip Hargrave

Return to Church Guide