Rediscovering Coventry's Medieval Stained Glass

Dr Heather Gilderdale Scott of Lincoln University, the authority on medieval stained glass and Dr Jonathan Foyle of the World Monuments Fund at the Paul Mellon Lecture in Coventry on 19th June 2012

The story of the destruction of Coventry Cathedral on the night of 14th/15th November 1940 is well known, as is the building of the new Cathedral designed by Sir Basil Spence and consecrated in 1962. Less well known is the fact that the medieval stained glass from the old Cathedral was removed on the outbreak of war and safely stored so that it survived the destruction.

The World Monuments Fund as just begun a project to restore and display the old stained glass, which is thought to have been the work of John Thornton, who also created the great stained glass of York Minster.

The stained glass will be restored by specialists working at the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum
Click here for a BBC report on the project.

Click here for details of the World Monuments Fund's programme, which includes work to stabilise the ruins of the old Cathedral. And here for their fundraising site.

Click here for a link to the Golden Jubilee celebration of the Consecration of the new Cathedral

December 2012: From the Friends of Coventry Cathedral Newsletter


St Michael’s Glass on show in the Soane Museum

This Summer’s conservation work, by Crick-Smith, of more than 7,000 fragments of stained glass
from St Michael’s, Coventry (the largest collection of loose medieval glass in the Britain), has now
been completed. Several fine examples of the salvaged glass have pride of place in the current
World Monument Fund Britain exhibition in the Sir John Soane’s Museum, Lincoln’s Inn Fields,
London WC2A. The Exhibition runs until 26 January 2013 (Tuesday - Saturday 10.00 - 17.00
hours).

If you are unable to visit the exhibition, here’s link to a 12 minute film featuring Kevin McCloud’s
‘take’ on the Coventry glass http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPnsJqt7DDA&feature=youtu.be

The Battle Proms at Highclere Castle

The Battle Proms have been held at castles and stately homes across Southern England for the last 15 years and have become extremely popular. Over 9000 people came to the event at Highclere Castle on 4th August to hear classical pieces like Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture with live cannon fire, inspired by Napoleon's famous retreat from Moscow, and the celebratory piece of music that gives the Battle Proms its name: Beethoven’s 'Wellington’s Victory', more commonly known as the ‘Battle Symphony’, performed with 193 cannons, musket fire and fireworks. Click here for a rather quieter Irish air. 

The highlight of the show as always is the aerial display by a WWII Spitfire 

Favourite Gardens - A Secret Garden

Coventry Cathedral - the Sutherland Tapestry

Graham Sutherland's great tapestry, Christ in Glory in the Tetramorph, is full of imagery taken from Revelations. The Archbishop of Canterbury based his marvellous sermon at the Golden Jubilee of the Consecration of the Cathedral on the meaning of the tapestry.

The main theme of the tapestry is taken from the lines:

'And immediately I was in the spirit: and behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.

And he that sat to look upon like a jasper and sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne in sight like unto an emerald....

And in the midst of the throne and round about the throne, were four beasts...
and the first beast was like a lion,

and the second beast like a calf,

and the third beast had the face as a man,

and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.' 

                                                                                               Revelations IV, vs. 2,3,6 and 7

The dragon in the chalice under Christ's feet is referenced here:

'Then another sign became visible in the sky and I saw that it was a huge red dragon...Now they have conquered him though the blood of the Lamb.'
                                                                                               Revelations XII, vs 3 and 10


St Michael hurling down the Devil is referred to here:

'Then war broke out in Heaven, Michael and his angels battled with the Dragon...so that the huge Dragon, the serpent of ancient times, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world, was hurled down upon the earth.'
                                                                                               Revelations XII, vs 7,8 and 9

Favourite Views - Fields of Barley

Fields of barley on the path from Badger Farm to Compton, south of Winchester.

Golden Jubilee of the Consecration of Coventry Cathedral

The Golden Jubilee of the Consecration of Coventry Cathedral was held on 25th May 2012, exactly 50 years after the original service which was attended by the Queen. On this occasion, a glorious sunny day, the service was taken by the Dean, the Very Reverend John Irving, before the Bishop of Coventry, the Right Reverend Dr Christopher Cocksworth, and the Princess Royal. The service began with a beautiful Lord's Prayer sung in Aramaic. The Archbishop of Canterbury preached a marvellous sermon drawing on the imagery of Graham Sutherland's great tapestry. 

A video of the procession at the end of the service can be seen here

Following the service, a reception was held for the Princess Royal in St Mary's Hall

Click here for some photos from the event

A very good BBC programme about the Cathedral can be heard here

Chelsea Flower Show 2012

The Chelsea Flower Show 2012 - for photos - of the people as well as the gardens - click here 

Favourite Castles - Landmark Trust Houses

East Banqueting House, Chipping Camden 1994 and 1995

East Banqueting House, Chipping Camden 1994 and 1995

Gothic Temple, Stowe 

Gothic Temple, Stowe

Gothic Temple, Stowe

Shute Gatehouse, Lyme Regis

Anna at Shute Gatehouse

Lyme Regis

British Design 1948 - 2012 at the V&A

John Piper's Coventry

The Exhibition of British Design 1948 - 2012 at the V&A is fascinating as it covers approximately my lifetime and includes some particularly potent images from the 1960s including my first car -  a Mini - reminding one forcefully how terribly small they were. There were also a number of striking pieces from the rebuilding of Coventry Cathedral, including the only maquette of John Piper's Baptistry Window and some stunning cartoons by Graham Sutherland from the creation of his famous tapestry, 'Christ In Glory in the Tetramorph' .

Graham Sutherland "The Eagle" (An image depicting St John)

I was also lucky enough to attend a lecture introducing the exhibition by Ghislaine Wood, the curator, as well as Louise Campbell of Warwick University on Sir Basil Spence and the building of the new Cathedral and Jonathan Foyle of the World Monuments Fund on the Fund's plans to improve the Coventry Cathedral quarter of the City as well as restore and display the beautiful C15th stained glass from the old Cathedral. Work on this part of the project has already started at The Herbert Art Gallery and Museum. 

Favourite Places - The Bishops' Palace, Winchester