Gonalston St Laurence

Glass

There is only one fully stained glass window in the church, on the south side. On the north elevation some of the small upper parts of the tracery are filled with old glass. Pevsner claims that much of the church’s older glass was removed and is now in the Chapter House of Southwell Minster.

1West Window

Three tall trefoil-headed lights surmounted by two triangular shaped windows topped by another of petal design form the west window. All are glazed with lozenge-shaped glass embossed with a floral design set in lead. Above the main window there is a small quatrefoil light set high in the gable.

2Window in Bell-ringing Chamber

Narrow lancet window with opening transom in the lower part and trefoil head. The point of the lancet has an elongated dropping trefoil with light blue coloured glass around the border. The main glazing is lozenge-shaped panes of cathedral glass set in lead.

Nave North

3A short double light separated by a central column. The head of the window has only a slight almost flat arch. The two main lights have cinquefoil heads and are glazed with cathedral glass set in lead in a lozenge pattern. The apex of the light is filled with a transverse petal-edged triangle filled with an armorial shield above which is a blue and yellow bird. The border is in deep blue and gold, incorporating gold fleur-de-lys.

4A window that matches the previous in all details except for the stained-glass panel. The colours are only blue and gold. The border has fleur-de-lys in the upper part, but other motifs in the lower. A gold hedgehog surmounts the shield; hedgehogs also adorn the points of the inverted triangle that decorates the shield. This is known to be the insignia of the de-Heriz family Lords of the Manor of Gonalston in the 11th and 12th Centuries. The glass is a mixture of late 13th Century glass and 19th Century restoration.

5East Window of North Aisle

A pointed arch window comprising two lights separated by a central spine. The internal stone tracery, spine and frame all have a flat finish. Both the lights have cinquefoil heads and are glazed with lozenge-pattern green-tinted cathedral glass set in lead. The right hand light has a transom fitted into the middle third. The apex of the light has stained glass. Like Windows 3 and 4 it has a border, but in red glass with a gold fleur-de-lys. A shield is set within a deep blue background containing a diagonal bar running lower left to upper right in red glass with a gold coloured fish in the centre with a bird below and above. Either side of the bar is what appears to be the depiction of an animal head in red. Over the shield is a further head in gold.

Chancel

6Window in Chancel North Wall

A short pointed double lancet light with an infill panel above the Y tracery; fully glazed with yellow/green and blue/white cathedral glass set in lozenge pattern lead.

7East Window

Set above the altar, three tall pointed lancets within double Y tracery filled with three infill lights. The lancets are glazed in clear glass set in lead in a regular square pattern. The infill lights have smaller squares and a diagonal bar across each square

8&9Windows in Chancel South Wall

These two identical windows are set into the very thick walls of the chancel. They are not equally spaced along the wall, the westernmost one being set close to the chancel arch. Each window is a two-light lancet, the points almost reaching the apex of the arch, leaving only a small transverse triangle of glazing within the Y tracery. All glazing is clear cathedral lozenge shaped glass set in lead.

Nave South

The stained-glass
window		 Plaque beneath the
window

10Window in South Wall of Nave - East

The only full stained-glass window in the church. It has three trefoil-headed lights rising about two thirds the height of the window, surmounted by two circles and with another above filling the arch. It is painted using a varied palate of vibrant colours within a deep blue background. The three lower panels depict Christ’s Ascension; the three circles show angels with musical instruments. There is no maker’s mark.

Below this window is an inscribed brass dedication plate:

Hanc Fenestram in Memoriam Frances Barbara
Conjugis dilectissimæ Ponendam Curavit,
Joannes Francklin, Armiger. MDCCCLII.

This might be translated:

John Francklin, Knight, caused this window to be placed in memory of Frances Barbara [his] beloved wife. 1852.

John Francklin also gave a stained glass window to Gunthorpe Church in 1850.

11Window in South Wall of Nave - Middle

Generally the same shape as the previous, but the three vertical lights have plain lancet heads and are glazed with plain cathedral glass set in lozenge patterned lead.

12&13Porch Windows

Two small lights set in flat headed stone frames. Each window has two trefoil-headed lights, the point of the trefoil extending to the apex, with glazed infills on each side. Glazed with lozenge shaped cathedral glass set in lead.