Angels
The right hand head here is a 19th century replacement executed as a reflected copy of the original 15th century head on the left..
Traceries of the central window on the south side (as viewed from scaffolding during restoration of the chapel in 2015) glazed by the royal glazier John Prudde in 1447 with some of the most luxuriant stained glass available at the time. The angels hold pieces of medieval music manuscript (a design also used in the east window and that most likely also continued into the two westernmost windows of the chapel where sadly only fragments remain today). A few of the heads on the south side are later repairs, some Victorian but others as early as the 17th century.
The bulk of this glass was tragically lost when the chapel was attacked by Cromwellian troops in 1643 (it is possible the chapel was locked and all this was done from outside as the tombs and statuary survived undamaged). The six side windows were a complete loss below the traceries and have remained plain-glazed ever since, but the surviving figures were used to fill the large gaps left in the east window to give the patchwork display we see today.
The gorgeous Beauchamp Chapel at St Mary's, Warwick is perhaps the best preserved example of a medieval church interior in England. I have been in love with it ever since my first childhood visit, and it remains my favourite room in all England.
The chapel is rich in excellent monuments, of which the tomb of Richard Beauchamp, the chapel's founder, is the most impressive with magnificent gilt bronze sculptures, an extremely rare survival.
Equally spectacular is the delightful east window, which is filled with superb 15th century glass by John Prudde, the King's glazier. Much if it is not in situ, since Cromwell's troops wrought havoc with the glass here and the surviving figures were assembled in this window (only the outer pairs of figures in the upper row are in their original positions). The north and south windows retain original glass only in their traceries and the cusped heads of the main lights, and knowing the quality of the surviving elements makes this loss all the more grievous.
A further treasure of this chapel and a miraculous survivor of Cromwells fanatics is the statuary surrounding the east window. This unique display of almost perfectly preserved figure sculpture from the early 15th century is exquisite, and gives an answer to all those empty niches we see in so many medieval churches elsewhere in England. The medieval splendour is further echoed by the use of colour on the sculptures and vaulted ceiling, all redone in the mid 20th century but based on medieval precedents.
Angels
The right hand head here is a 19th century replacement executed as a reflected copy of the original 15th century head on the left..
Traceries of the central window on the south side (as viewed from scaffolding during restoration of the chapel in 2015) glazed by the royal glazier John Prudde in 1447 with some of the most luxuriant stained glass available at the time. The angels hold pieces of medieval music manuscript (a design also used in the east window and that most likely also continued into the two westernmost windows of the chapel where sadly only fragments remain today). A few of the heads on the south side are later repairs, some Victorian but others as early as the 17th century.
The bulk of this glass was tragically lost when the chapel was attacked by Cromwellian troops in 1643 (it is possible the chapel was locked and all this was done from outside as the tombs and statuary survived undamaged). The six side windows were a complete loss below the traceries and have remained plain-glazed ever since, but the surviving figures were used to fill the large gaps left in the east window to give the patchwork display we see today.
The gorgeous Beauchamp Chapel at St Mary's, Warwick is perhaps the best preserved example of a medieval church interior in England. I have been in love with it ever since my first childhood visit, and it remains my favourite room in all England.
The chapel is rich in excellent monuments, of which the tomb of Richard Beauchamp, the chapel's founder, is the most impressive with magnificent gilt bronze sculptures, an extremely rare survival.
Equally spectacular is the delightful east window, which is filled with superb 15th century glass by John Prudde, the King's glazier. Much if it is not in situ, since Cromwell's troops wrought havoc with the glass here and the surviving figures were assembled in this window (only the outer pairs of figures in the upper row are in their original positions). The north and south windows retain original glass only in their traceries and the cusped heads of the main lights, and knowing the quality of the surviving elements makes this loss all the more grievous.
A further treasure of this chapel and a miraculous survivor of Cromwells fanatics is the statuary surrounding the east window. This unique display of almost perfectly preserved figure sculpture from the early 15th century is exquisite, and gives an answer to all those empty niches we see in so many medieval churches elsewhere in England. The medieval splendour is further echoed by the use of colour on the sculptures and vaulted ceiling, all redone in the mid 20th century but based on medieval precedents.