Holme
St Giles

Glass

The windows at Holme include glass of every century from the 13th to the 17th. Prior to their reconstruction in 1933 by Nevil Truman, the windows, in common with the rest of the church, were in a deplorable state. Glass that had fallen out had been replaced incorrectly and in some instances partly bricked up and patched with plate glass. The reconstruction cleaned and brought the fragments together in their proper places.

The Quire

Inscriptions run along the bottom with little portraits of the donors and their families. Above these are three coats of arms. The shields from left to right are (10) Barton and Bingham, (11) Barton, (12) Barton, Ratcliffe, Lee and Ashton (numbers as in drawing below).

Three figures of saints occupy the lights with canopies above. The centre figure is a bishop; that on the left a priest and on the right is a figure in a white alb. 

Diamond-shaped quarries with the John Barton’s merchant’s mark, his initials and his rebus – a ‘bar’ and a ‘tun’ – can be seen many times in the groundwork. The inscription reproduces the original one. It reads:

Pray for the soul of John Barton of Holme, merchant of the Staple of Calais, Builder of this church, who died 1491 and for Isabella his wife. The fragments of his glass in the three centre lights were reconstructed by Nevil Truman of Nottingham 1933.

Nevil Truman obtained 14th century glass from the ruined church at Annesley to fill in the outer lights which had no painted glass. Colonel Chaworth-Musters, in whose park Annesley old church stood, donated the glass along with a box of pieces of the same period which he had found in one of his outbuildings. This gift is recorded on an inscription in the window.

The lower two quatrefoils form a ‘Coronation of our Lady’, whilst the upper quatrefoils include the arms of Annesley and Leigh. The traceries show censing angels in the outer lights of the top four and Tudor roses in the smaller lights.

The scheme for the three centre main lights was worked out by Nevil Truman and reconstructed by George and Dennis King of Norwich. The reconstruction of the outer main lights and the traceries was worked out by Nevil Truman; Mr H T Hinks of Nottingham being the craftsman.

Schematic Layout of Quire Window

13

12

11

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

1,2Censing angels

3Arms of Leigh

4Arms of Annesley

5Bishop

6Priest

7Figure in a white alb

8Coronation of our Lady

9Arms of Barton, Ratcliffe, Lee and Ashton

10Arms of Barton

11Arms of Barton and Bingham

12Christ blessing his mother

13Reproduction of original inscription:

Pray for the soul of John Barton of Holme, merchant of the Staple of Calais, Builder of this Church, who died 1491, and for Isabella his wife

The outer lights contain glass from Annesley Old Church and inscription

The groundwork all over is full of diamond-shaped quarries with the founder’s merchant’s mark, his initials JB and his rebus a ‘bar’ and ‘tun’

Lady Chapel

The traceries of the east window contain glass dating from the 15th century. Originally there was a prophet in each of the 12 tracery lights. Those that could be saved were reconstructed during the restoration in the 1930s by Nevil Truman. They are, from left to right: fragments; Sophonias; Amos and Isiah.

The main lights contain 16th century and 17th century pieces (including a mitred bishop’s head and a flying cherub) bought in Beauvais, some 13th century fragments from Salisbury and, in the outer lights, a 1856 copy of 12th century grisaille.

Schematic Layout of Lady Chapel Window

12

11

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

1Fragments

2Sophonias

3Amos

4Isaiah

5Arms of the Staple of Calais

6Arms of the Province of York

7-1216th and 17th Century pieces from Beauvais and 13th Century fragments from Salisbury
Details of the Lady Chapel window