Clumber Park
St Mary

1The East Window

The tracery stonework at the head of this window incorporates the instruments of the Passion, and at the extreme top a crowned Holy Name, Jesus, [in Greek], in a glory.

This window itself gives a view of Kempe’s late Gothic style with English and Flemish elements, executed in white tabernacle work relieved with soft half tones and formulated colour tones of the figures. The cartoon, the full drawing of the window, seeks to demonstrate the works of Christ, according to apostolic tradition, energised by His crucifixion on the Cross, and being nourished by the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist, illuminated by the charitable works and mercy and reassured by the teaching and authority of the Fathers. At the base of the window runs the prayer, Orate pro bono statu Henrici Septimi Ducis Novi Castelli sub Lyme, hujus Ecclesiae Fundatoris, [Pray for the good estate of Henry, Seventh Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne, founder of this Church].

The centre major light of five, within the stone mullioned window, depicts the Crucifixion, with Adam and Eve below, [copied from part of a 1504 engraving by Albrecht Dürer], standing before the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil in the midst of the Garden of Eden. This is underpinned by a pelican in piety, a symbol of Christ the Redeemer; for as it was reputed to feed its young with its own blood to save them from death, so our saviour shed His blood to save us from death eternal. The legend underneath reads, Jesus Christus Pelicanus Noster.

East window

Detail

Adam and Eve

Pelican in Piety

Various saints are arranged in tiers across the window.

The upper tier

This underscores the apostolic origin of the church with:

		St Peter		depicted with keys and a book - Peter was called and trained for the Apostleship and clothed with the primacy of the Apostles, which he exercised in a most unequivocal manner after Christ’s Ascension into Heaven
		The Blessed Virgin Mary		the mother of Jesus Christ, the mother of God. Since the first century, devotion to the Virgin Mary has been a major element of the spiritual life of a vast number of Christians
		St John the Divine		often referred to as John of Patmos, or John the Theologian and the message he received is considered divine Revelation by most Christians. John of Patmos, the author of the Book of Revelation, is traditionally believed to be the same person as both John, the apostle of Jesus and John the Evangelist. Some biblical scholars now contend that these were separate individuals
		St Paul		Paul's influence on Christian thinking arguably has been more significant than that of any other New Testament author

The middle tier

This depicts the following all known for conspicuous works of mercy:

		St Joseph of Arimathaea		depicted with tomb and crown of thorns – Joseph after permission from Pilate took the body of crucified Jesus to place him in a sepulchre [John 19:38]
		St Hugh of Lincoln		noted with a swan and a model of Lincoln Cathedral - As a bishop he was exemplary, constantly in residence or travelling within his diocese, generous with his unbounded charity to the poor and it was long remembered how he used to tend with his own hands people afflicted with leprosy then so common in England, scrupulous in the ecclesiastical appointments he made. Hugh's primary emblem is a white swan in reference to the story of the swan of Stowe which had a deep and lasting friendship for Hugh, even guarding him while he slept. The swan would follow him about constantly, and was his constant companion whilst he was at Lincoln. He is the patron saint of sick children, sick people, and swans
		St Mary Magdalene		seen with a box of ointment - Mary Magdalene or Mary of Magdala is described, both in the canonical New Testament and in the Apocrypha, as one of the most important women in the movement of Jesus. Mary was one of many women who followed Jesus to the very end, having accompanied Him and the twelve apostles during their travels and, according to all four Gospels in the Christian New Testament, Jesus had chosen Mary to be the first witness of His resurrection from the dead
		St Christopher		seen carrying a budding staff and the Christ-child - There is almost nothing historical known about the life, or his death. However, there are several legends about him including one attributed to him in the 13th century by Archbishop Jacobus de Voragine in which it advises - Christopher was about to cross a river when a child asked to be carried across. When he put the child on his shoulders he found the child was unbelievably heavy. The child is later revealed to be Jesus Christ carrying the weight of the whole world. This is why Christopher became the patron Saint of Travellers holding patronage of things related to travel and travellers and is invoked against storms, plagues, lightning, bookbinders, epilepsy, toothache, etc.

The bottom tier

The bottom tier of panels includes carvings of those who represent the teaching authority and tradition of the Church, through the four Doctors of the Western Church as noted below. It will be realised they are almost identical to the statues in the choir stalls save that St Augustine carries a burning heart instead of a transfixed one, St Jerome is accompanied by a lion, and St Ambrose carries a scourge, not as an element of the Passion but signifying his work in the expulsion of the Arian sect from Italy and the subsequent penance he inflicted on the Emperor Theodosius I:

		St Augustine of Hippo		can be seen wearing a chasuble – is also known as St Augustine or St Austin, was a Berber philosopher and theologian. In the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion, he is a saint and pre-eminent Doctor of the Church, and the patron of the Augustinian religious order. Many Protestants, especially Calvinists, consider him to be one of the theological fathers of reformation teaching on salvation and divine grace. St Augustine of Hippo is the patron of brewers because of his conversion from a former life of loose living, which included parties, entertainment, and worldly ambitions
		St Gregory		although the first monk to become Pope, he took to monasticism initially as it was established by St Benedict. Whilst he was a trained Roman lawyer and administrator, a monk, missionary and preacher, he was above all known as a physician of souls, a leader of men, and the real father of medieval papacy. St Gregory is also well-known for his writings, which were more prolific than those of any of his predecessors as Pope and for this reason English translations of Orthodox texts will sometimes list him as ‘Gregory Dialogus’. He is the patron saint of musicians, singers, students, and teachers
		St Jerome		is noted wearing a cope - known for his studies, translation and revision of the Old Testament according to the Hebrew but his extensive writings may be summed up under the headings of the Bible, theological controversies, historical and other translation work. He also undertook a revision of the Latin Bible, to be based on the Greek Testament, and much of the controversial interpretation contributed to the Vulgate Bible. He is recognized in the Roman Church as the patron saint of translators, librarians and encyclopaedists
		St Ambrose		also wearing a cope - was traditionally credited with composing the hymn, Te Deum, which he is said to have composed when he baptised St Augustine, his celebrated convert. As one of the most illustrious Fathers and Doctors of the Roman Church he was chosen with others to uphold the venerable Chair of the Prince of Apostles in the tribune of St Peter’s at Rome.

2,3,4The Lady Chapel has three stained glass windows all provided as a wedding gift when, in February 1889, the Duke of Newcastle married Miss Kathleen Florence May Candy, who was from an Irish sporting family, the Westernras. Whilst the windows were prepared by Kempe they were partially funded by the tenants from the Duke’s estate. The symbolic representation within the glass is of the Annunciation, The Adoration of the Shepherds, and the Adoration of the Magi.

Window 2

Window 3

Window 4

5 Decorated Gothic window, above the South door, produced by Kempe, represents the nine orders of angels, skilfully arranged in tiers.

Upper tier

Second tier

Bottom tier

The upper tier includes:

		Cherubim		with six wings and bearing a censer
		Thrones		clothed in royal robes and carrying a small throne
		Seraphim		again with six wings but bearing a scroll with the words, Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus.

It is considered the names Cherubim and Seraphim are, when considering the cartoon, incorrectly placed and should be interchanged.

The second tier incorporates:

		Dominions		again in royal robes but carrying a sceptre and sword
		Powers		armour clad, with a mace and the head of Satan below
		Virtues		again armoured, but with a censer and battleaxe

The bottom tier embraces the last of the nine:

		Archangels		partly armed, but wearing a tunic, a belt with bells, a cope and bearing a sword and trumpet
		Principalities		again armour clad, but with a lily on the right hand and a lance in the left
		Angels		clothed in a deacon’s vestments and carrying a sceptre

St Cuthbert

St Chad

6,7The South Transept passage windows, are divided by a distinct stone mullion supporting a painted statue of St George and the Dragon, [by Comper], giving the opportunity to display two subjects on the glass lights. On the left, St Cuthbert, and on the right, St Chad.

9,10

St Leonard

St Vincent

The North passage is the Baptistery and has a similar window arrangement to the South passage, but the windows are placed each side of a painted statue of St John the Baptist, again by Comper. The left window depicts St Leonard, and on the right St Vincent.