Stained Glass Windows, St Peter - Palgrave, Suffolk
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SMacB
N 52° 21.802 E 001° 06.350
31U E 371025 N 5803143
Stained glass windows, St Peter's church, Palgrave.
Waymark Code: WMK7KR
Location: Eastern England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 02/24/2014
Views: 6
Surinder Warboys has her studio nearby at Mellis, and here is one of her windows in the south aisle (default image).
"The stained glass windows in the sanctuary are all brightly coloured. Colours have great significance, and the east window is usually designed to give a message of hope to believers. These windows reflect the rural nature of this parish, with floral motifs including grapes, lilies and little white flowers which may be daisies, or possibly columbine. Lilies represent immortality or beauty, and are usually associated with the Virgin Mary, the Mother of Christ. The Blessed Virgin Mary is more often depicted in Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches than Anglican, although coded symbols such as the lily, rose or pierced heart may be seen. Roses come in many forms – red for martyrdom or white for purity. The roses in our big east window are classic English Tudor roses, a blend of the symbols of the houses of York and Lancaster, and probably represent England rather than Mary.
Alpha and Omega also appear. They are the letters at the beginning and end of the Greek alphabet (obviously the first two are alpha-beta!). They therefore represent the eternity of God: the beginning and the end, Infinity. Threes also appear a lot in churches as a symbol of the trinity of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is often represented as a dove descending – just like in this window. This is a Biblical reference from the gospels referring to Jesus’ baptism by John. This window also contains pictures of the bread and wine which are the core of Christian worship. All three windows in the sanctuary were the gifts of Reverend Charles Martyn and his wife Sarah in 1851. This Rector is buried in a vault near the altar. He was the principal benefactor of the 1861 building works, set up three charitable trusts which still contribute funds to the church and he also founded the present village school behind the church.
Only one window, to the South, depicts a Biblical scene. In the outer panels are found symbols of the Gospel-writers and angels surrounded by vines and fruits. In the central panel Jesus is bringing Lazarus back to life after he has been dead for four days. There are both male and female figures; one may be Mary of Bethany or her sister Martha. The words that Jesus used are often used in the Christian funeral service ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die’ [John 11:25-26].
This episode is also famous for generating the shortest verse in the Bible – ‘Jesus wept’ [John 11:35]. Note that Christ appears with a cruciform halo, signifying his divinity and sacrifice.
The middle south window is modern and awe-inspiring. Designed by Surinder Hayes Warboys, and dedicated in 1995, it works on many levels. When the sun shines through this window in the morning services it speckles the congregation with colours. There is a detailed explanatory sheet on the window ledge."
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