Casting Light, Preserving History, Illuminating Tomorrow: The Stained Glass of St Mary’s
By Barry Richardson
Introduction
Last week, I wrote about a vivid moment: the morning sun casting a kaleidoscope of colour across the walls of St Mary’s. It made me wonder—why do churches have stained glass?
Not all churches do. I’ve visited grand architectural spaces with vast expanses of plain glass, and more modest chapels where every wall glows with colour. Stained glass isn’t just decorative; it serves several profound purposes.
The Purpose of Stained Glass
Across centuries and continents, stained glass has served many roles. Here are four that remain especially relevant today.
Inspiring Awe
Step inside Gaudí’s Sagrada Família in Barcelona and you’re met with a sensory flood of light, colour, and space. It’s overwhelming—in the best possible way. This dramatic effect is a primary purpose of stained glass: to astonish and elevate, transforming a physical space into a spiritual experience.
Telling Stories
In medieval times, most people couldn’t read. Stained glass windows became visual sermons—biblical narratives rendered in light. They educated and inspired, allowing the faithful to see and understand sacred stories. This storytelling function remains central today.
Symbolising Holiness
In the King James Bible, the word “light” appears 267 times, a detail I discovered with a little help from Google. Light is a powerful symbol of divine presence, moral clarity, and hope. Churches feel spiritual not just because of their solemnity, but because of how light moves through them. At St Mary’s, when filtered through coloured glass, light becomes softened and intentional—creating a sense of sanctuary and holiness.
As part of the Re-Awakening, a solar array has been added to the roof of St Mary’s—converting sunlight into electricity to power and gently illuminate the church itself.
Showcasing Devotion through Artistry
Stained glass is often a collaboration between artists, patrons, and clergy—a fusion of theology and craftsmanship. The windows of St Mary’s reflect both devotional intent and the artistic influences of their time. They are, quite literally, personal and profound expressions of faith.
The Stained Glass of St Mary’s
The stained glass at St Mary’s offers a fascinating record of its history. For those keen to explore further, the Southwell and Nottingham Church History Project provides detailed insight into all of the church’s windows. All diagrams and images are reproduced from this resource.
Clerestory Windows
High above the choir, the clerestory windows cast a warm glow into what would otherwise be a shadowed space. These medieval equivalents of skylights were designed to bring light into the upper reaches of the building.
In July 1903, a freak storm swept through Newark, shattering over 3,800 panes of plain diamond-shaped glass—many of them part of the 1850s restoration. Though not stained glass, these windows play a vital role in illuminating the church’s interior. Their loss, and careful replacement, stands as a quiet testament to the building’s vulnerability and the need for constant care and maintenance.
The Re-Awakening has repaired and cleaned some of this glass, continuing the long tradition of stewardship and renewal.
Medieval Glass
Tucked away in the Holy Spirit Chapel is a window assembled during the Victorian restoration, using fragments of 14th and 15th-century glass collected from across the building. It was further restored in 1957 by Joan Howson of Oxford University—a quiet act of preservation that speaks volumes.
Great East Window
The Great East Window (commissioned 1864) offers a more formal narrative. A memorial to Prince Albert, it was funded by public subscription. Its upper panels depict the Ascension of Christ; the lower ones narrate scenes from His life. Together, they form a window that teaches, remembers, and uplifts.
North End Memorial Glass
Added in 1903, the north windows are civic in nature—memorials to local dignitaries and parishioners. These are quieter tributes, but no less heartfelt.
In Summary
The stained glass at St Mary’s is more than decoration—it is an archive of devotion, artistry, and resilience. Each pane holds the fingerprints of past generations, refracting not just light but memory.
Through the Re-Awakening Project, we honour the legacy of leaving a generational addition by adding our own quiet contributions — modern in method, timeless in spirit.
In doing so, we become part of the church’s unfolding story—read not in ink, but in changes for future congregations, visitors, artisans, and historians alike, just as our medieval forebears once did.
Looking Ahead
As work continues quietly within St Mary’s, I’ll return next week with a progress update—another step toward the day when the church welcomes the world back in, to be bathed in colour and light, inviting both new and seasoned eyes to marvel once again at the quiet radiance of the Re-Awakened Church.