Painted Light

A Priory reporter shares her enjoyment of a Malvern Civic Society lecture on the Priory’s unique Mediaeval stained glass, recently held in the Priory, on the freshly-levelled nave floor…

’Katherine Little was invited to give a talk on the Priory’s Medieval Windows by the Malvern Civic Society. Over 100 people were captivated by detailed photographs of the Priory’s historic and precious mediaeval glass, as Katherine brought the pictures to life by telling the stories that inspired the talented mediaeval glaziers and describing the processes that they used to create the images.

For instance did you know that the apples on the tree in the Garden of Eden in the Creation Window were made by a process called ‘jewelling’ and that some of the glass is held in place by mediaeval lead, some of the only surviving examples in the country?

Did you know that the Priory’s breathtaking mediaeval East Window is one of the largest of any parish church in the country?… and the main body of the window tells the story of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus, with Jesus riding the iconic blue donkey entering the gates of Jerusalem?

Have you seen the Nativity in the Magnificat Window, where Mary and Joseph look down at the infant Jesus in a ramshackle wooden building with holes in the thatched roof revealing the rafters below?

The beautiful detail of the faces in the windows, the angel musicians, animals and birds all give us a glimpse into life from long ago. Katherine’s amazing pictures gave us the opportunity to see some of these beautiful images close up – Mary’s serene face at the Annunciation… compared to Jesus’ pain at the Betrayal…the feathers on the

angels’ wings… the monkey clapping in the tree …and so much more.

The story of the mediaeval glass was brought right up to date with photos of the recent conservation and protection of the Creation Window.

Katherine’s love of the building and its treasured glass shone through. It was a fabulous evening. Thank you to Katherine and to the Civic Society for enabling many of us to enjoy learning more about Malvern’s history and heritage.

If you missed the talk, you can still read about all the Priory’s windows – Mediaeval, Victorian or modern glass by Tom Denny, in Katherine’s book “A Tour of the Stained Glass at Great Malvern Priory” on sale for £5 in the Priory in the Friends’ Shop.’