Ruddington
St Peter

Glass

Click the numbers in the key plan for details of each window.

Key to Windows

East Window

1The East Window, with the theme of Priesthood.

The window has seven main lights. The main depiction in the middle three lights is the baptism of Christ by John. From above the Holy Spirit, as a dove, descends, continuing below to the coming of the Holy Spirit in tongues of flame to the apostles at Pentecost. The two left-most lights represents the anointing of Aaron by Moses, while below, Abraham is blessed by Melchisidec. The two right hand lights portray the gift of the Keys of the Kingdom to Peter, and the words of Jesus: ‘You are the Rock’. Below, through the illustration of the miraculous draught of fishes, Peter is commanded: ‘Feed my lambs’.

The window is dedicated:

To the greater Glory of God and to the adornment of His Sanctuary in this place – by Joseph and Helen Paget of Staffynwood, Derbyshire 1888

South Aisle Windows

2A three-light window depicting the Resurrection. The angel proclaims: ‘He is not here – He is risen’; the women attend with spices.

This window is a replica of the east window in Molde parish church in Norway, which was destroyed by enemy action in World War II 1939-45.

The inscription reads:

To the Glory of God and in memory of Joseph Paget 1825-96 and Lucy Swaine 1824-1897 (sister)

It is by Clayton and Bell. John Clayton 1827-1913 and Alfred Bell 1832-1895 became partners some time between 1855-58. Their stained glass studio became one of the largest and most respected of the Victorian period.

3A high window above the vestry door depicting the Good Samaritan, with the priest and levite in the side panels.

In the small upper light is written:

Forasmuch as you have done it unto the least
of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me

The inscription at the bottom reads:

To the Glory of God and in memory of Matthew Carnelley for 13 years physician and Surgeon in this parish, who fell
asleep on September 18th 1897 in the 40th year of his age this window is erected by his affectionate Father

The face of the Samaritan is said to be a portrait of Matthew Carnelley, village doctor and also author of two published plays.

4,5,
6,7The four full-length three-light windows in the south aisle form a unity. They show the twelve apostles. In each light is shown one of the apostles, in each case with an identifying symbol, in many cases the instrument of their martyrdom. Also, on a ribbon scroll, there is a line of the Apostles’ Creed. (By tradition – unquestionably apocryphal – each of the apostles dictated one line of the Apostles’ Creed under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.) The lower part of each light depicts a scene from the life of that apostle. Running across all four windows at the level between the depictions are words of the Te Deum:

The glorious company of the Apostles praise Thee
The goodly fellowship of the Prophets praise Thee
The noble army of Martyrs praise Thee
The Holy Church throughout all the world doth acknowledge Thee

From left to right the depictions are:

Apostle   Symbol   Credal line   Scene from the life
St Peter   Keys   I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth   S S Peter & Andrew called
St Andrew   Saltire   And in Jesus Christ His only Son, our Lord   S Andrew receives martyrdom
St James (the great)   Shell   Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary   The mother of Zebedee’s children
St John   Chalice & bread   Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried   S S John & James called
St Philip   Staff   Descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead   S Philip desireth evidence
St James (the less)   Club   He ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the father Almighty   S James Bishop of Jerusalem
St Thomas   Set square   from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead   S Thomas’ confession
St Bartholomew
(alias Nathaniel)		   Knife   I believe in the Holy Ghost   Nathanael under the fig tree
St Matthew   Casket   The holy Catholic Church, The communion of Saints   S Matthew is called
St Simon (the Zealot)   Saw   The Forgiveness of sins   S Simon receives martyrdom
St Matthias   Axe   The Resurrection of the body   S Matthias is consecrated
St Jude   Ship   And the life everlasting   S Jude enquireth of Christ

(Some of the martyrdoms are, of course legendary. Note that it was actually St James the brother of Christ who was Bishop in Jerusalem, not the apostle St James the less, the son of Alphaeus.)

The four windows were given by the Misses Paget were dedicated by the Bishop of Southwell.

West End Windows

8Faith, Hope and Charity window at the west end of the south aisle. This window was given:

To the Glory of God and in loving memory of Lucy Paget who died on 26th June 1924 in the 96th year of her age, and of Ann Paget who died on 29th September 1916 in the 85th year of her age, the second and third daughters of the late Charles Paget Esq of Ruddington Grange, Notts. This window is erected in their memory by their devoted twin nephews Godfrey William Paget Mellor and Wilfrid Paget Mellor

The window depicts Faith (carrying a lamp), Hope (bearing an anchor) and Charity, the greatest of the three (caring for a child).

The window is now rather difficult to see in its entirety because of the modern entranceway, but it is still visible.

9The high west window of five lights, with the subject the Nativity.

This window is dedicated:

To the glory of God and in loving memory of Ellen, wife of Alfred Mellor and daughter of Charles and Ellen Paget. Born November 12th 1842. Died March 12th 1880

It was one of the earliest windows installed and represents the coming of Gabriel to Mary (‘Behold the handmaid of the Lord’), Mary’s visit to Elizabeth (‘Blessed art thou among women’), a Nativity scene (‘Unto us a child is born’), the presentation of Jesus in the temple and the boy Jesus in the carpenter’s shop. Above are pictures of the Shepherds, the Kings and the Star of Bethlehem.

10The two-light baptistry window was given in 1915 in memory of John Horwood of Ruddington, Catherine Burrows his wife, and their daughter Ann. On the left are depicted the disciples on the road to Emmaus and on the right Thomas being shown the wounds of Christ.

North Aisle Windows

The north aisle windows contain more recent glass than the windows elsewhere in the church. The westernmost three of them (ie windows numbered 11, 12 and 13) were until the second half of the twentieth century of Victorian tinted glass.

11A faculty granted on 12 May 1976 permtted a stained glass memorial window on the north side dedicated:

IN LOVING MEMORY OF
GEORGE HENRY ALLCOCK 1887-1951
AND ELSIE HIS WIFE 1891-1975

It depicts the sower from Christ's parable.

12A faculty of 17 November 1966 provided for this memorial to the Parker family of Easthorpe, ‘carpenters in this village for 200 years’. It depicts the three Flawford alabasters referring to the mother church of St Peter at Flawford.

Beneath the words:

DO AS YOU WOULD BE DONE BY

is the descriptive inscription:

THE FIGURES SHOWN ABOVE ARE DERIVED FROM THE FLAWFORD ALABASTERS AT PRESENT IN THE CASTLE MUSEUM NOTTINGHAM
THIS WINDOW WAS GIVEN IN 1967 IN MEMORY OF THE PARKER FAMILY CARPENTERS OF EASTHORPE RUDDINGTON

13The Hilton window depicting St Luke, Physician and Evangelist. A faculty of 29 March 1978 provided for a new stained glass window to replace the leaded light window on the north side of the nave.

The inscription reads:

The Hilton window presented by Barbara MacLaren
as an affectionate tribute to her family
and to mark the Silver Jubilee of Clive Shrimpton
as Vicar of this parish   4th June 1977

Designed and installed by Pope and Parr, the window was dedicated in February 1979.

14Seen here are St George and the dragon in the left light symbolizing evil overcome, Dorcas with gifts for the sick and the poor in the centre symbolizing social concern, and St Michael the archangel on the right illustrating the fight against forces of evil. Angels in the tracery proclaim:

Fight the good fight of faith
Lay hold on eternal life

It is dedicated:

In loving memory of the beloved wife of Sir T Stanley Birkin, The Hon Margaret Diana Hopetoun, Lady Birkin RRC
and their children Thomas Richard Chetwynd Birkin, Margaret Ida Maud Birkin and Charles Archibald Cecil Birkin

The Birkin family lived at the Grange after the death of Sir Charles Paget (1873) until the 1920s.

15This window depicts Christ as the Good Shepherd. It was redesigned by Pope and Parr, retaining the central figure and surrounding it by clear Remey-antique glass; a memorial to Miss Clare Taplin.

Along the bottom of the window is the simple dedication:

FRANCIS LINSKILL     ELIZABETH MARY LINSKILL     WILLIAM LINSKILL

The Linskill family lived in the original structure of South Manor before its enlargement in 1851 by Sir Thomas Parkyns, and the vault containing their remains is nearby.

16This window above the Lady Altar was the gift of members of St Peter’s Youth Fellowship in 1957 and depicts the Madonna and Child in the centre light, with the coats of arms of the bishoprics of York and Southwell in the left and right lights. A faculty of 5 June 1957 sanctioned the window, which was installed by Pope and Parr. It was dedicated by Bishop Lasbrey, assistant Bishop of Southwell, on 25 August 1957.

Chancel Clerestory

17-22

Cain and Abel Abraham and Isaac Shapes and vines

There are three fairly small high three-light windows on each side of the chancel. The middle window on the north side (window 18) shows Cain and Abel – the sacrifice of Abel accepted by God, while the murderer, Cain, steals away. The middle south window (window 21) depicts Abraham, the man of faith, ready to offer Isaac as a sacrifice – the angel of the Lord proffers a ram as a substitute.

The other four of these windows contain a design of geometric shapes and grape vines in which the colours red and green predominate. Although high, the clerestory windows considerably lighten the chancel.