Apse Windows, Lichfield Cathedral
The Lady Chapel at Lichfield Cathedral contains a wonderful collection of 16th century Flemish glass, most of which originated in the abbey of Herkenrode prior to its closure during the French Revolution. The glass was brought by Sir Brooke Boothby and installed in the cathedral in 1805, filling seven of the nine huge windows at the east end (the remaining two are filled with rich but somewhat restored glass from Antwerp acquired decades later to better complement the windows than the armorial glass that was initially installed to fill these last two openings).
The glass was taken out and sent to the Barley Studio in York for conservation over many years, leaving the Lady Chapel plain glazed and unusually light for the interim. The glass returned in 2015 looking better than it had for a long time, being more legible with the effect of many insensitive mending-leads reduced and lost areas of paintwork in some areas such as faces reinstated in cold paint to restore readability to the work.
Lichfield is our best known three-spired cathedral, and one I have visited many times over the years (both for business and pleasure).
The cathedral suffered more than most during the Civil War when the Close was besieged (twice) and the central spire shot down (the aftermath of which is memorably conjured in one of the windows). As a result of this (and the soft red sandstone) the cathedral has been heavily restored and nearly all the furnishings are Victorian, but there are some notable tombs and monuments, and every time I come here I seem to notice more medieval survivals of some kind in various corners.
Apse Windows, Lichfield Cathedral
The Lady Chapel at Lichfield Cathedral contains a wonderful collection of 16th century Flemish glass, most of which originated in the abbey of Herkenrode prior to its closure during the French Revolution. The glass was brought by Sir Brooke Boothby and installed in the cathedral in 1805, filling seven of the nine huge windows at the east end (the remaining two are filled with rich but somewhat restored glass from Antwerp acquired decades later to better complement the windows than the armorial glass that was initially installed to fill these last two openings).
The glass was taken out and sent to the Barley Studio in York for conservation over many years, leaving the Lady Chapel plain glazed and unusually light for the interim. The glass returned in 2015 looking better than it had for a long time, being more legible with the effect of many insensitive mending-leads reduced and lost areas of paintwork in some areas such as faces reinstated in cold paint to restore readability to the work.
Lichfield is our best known three-spired cathedral, and one I have visited many times over the years (both for business and pleasure).
The cathedral suffered more than most during the Civil War when the Close was besieged (twice) and the central spire shot down (the aftermath of which is memorably conjured in one of the windows). As a result of this (and the soft red sandstone) the cathedral has been heavily restored and nearly all the furnishings are Victorian, but there are some notable tombs and monuments, and every time I come here I seem to notice more medieval survivals of some kind in various corners.