Project: Gloucestershire - Tewkesbury, with Worcestershire - Upton-upon-Severn.

No. 1 - 6: Exploring - the Abbey Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire .

 

Windows of the Choir

- another view, showing the windows in relation to the vault on the north side

 

- these fourteenth century windows are the chief glory of the choir. There are seven in all, and though they have suffered much from wilful damage and neglect, there are perhaps no others in England containing quite so much glass of the same date, and in such good condition as a whole. Every one must rejoice that in 1828 lack of funds prevented these windows from being thoroughly restored.

 

The windows nearest to the tower have four lights each, and the tracery is comparatively simple though flowing and free.

 

In the north-west window seen on the left here (i.e., immediately over the Warwick Chapel) are—

1. Fitz-Hamon;

2. Robert Fitzroy;

3. Hugh le Despenser;

4. Gilbert de Clare (third), the tenth Earl of Gloucester.

 

In the south-west window, i.e., the one exactly opposite to the last mentioned, are—

1. Gilbert de Clare (the first of the name);

2. Lord de la Zouch;

3. Richard de Clare;

4. Gilbert de Clare (the second).

These knights are all in armour, and are valuable as giving accurate representation of the armour and knightly gear of their time. Above the knights are represented canopies, and in the heads of the windows are scrolls of vine-leaves.

 

The bodies of the De Clares lie below the choir pavement, almost in a line with these two windows.

 

The other windows on either side contain Scripture subjects, many of them very fragmentary: Daniel, David, Abraham, Jeremiah, Solomon, and Joel are, however, easily to be found.

The Abbey Church of Tewkesbury ...... by H.J.L.J. Masse, M.A.

London George Bell & Sons 1906

 

 

Larger size:-

farm3.static.flickr.com/2525/3987277961_8954908b54_b.jpg

 

Taken on:-

August 29, 2007 at 11:48 BST

Done