Interior & Nave Glass

  • East Window
  • Chancel
  • West end
  • East end

The East Window was designed and made by Bell & Beckham of London and is reputedly included on page 12 of their catalogue (although we have never seen a copy). It was Mr Beckham who had executed the paintings in the reredos and both pieces were obviously designed to compliment each other. The window was cleaned in 2002 and found to be in urgent need of re-leading. This major work was carried out in the last quarter of 2003 by Chapel Studios of Kings Langley, the window being removed to their premises and replaced with temporary translucent material. Some work to repair cracks in the stone arch and tracery was undertaken at the same time which took the total cost of the restoration to £24,000.

West window

Following recommendations from Chapel Studios, it was decided to clean and restore the West Window in the summer of 2002.  Apparently during the last war a protective film had been applied and had never been removed. Much of it had peeled off, and the remainder was black and grimy. After several weeks work and the removal of the scaffolding, the true splendour  was revealed of this masterpiece by Henry Holiday RA (1839 – 1927), the great pre-Raphaelite stained glass artist.

Holiday was a friend and pupil of Edward Burne-Jones from whom he learned his craft. He was an artist of some distinction, exhibiting regularly at the Royal Academy from about 1858 and is probably best known for his painting Dante and Beatrice which is now in the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool. A man of many talents, his stained glass work includes the Brunel Memorial Window in Westminster Abbey, windows in Trinity College, Cambridge, windows in the Grace Cathedral in New York, and windows in Salisbury, Southwark and Brechin Cathedrals. He paid regular visits to the Lake District where in 1907 he built a country home – Betty Fold – at Hawkshead near Ambleside and many examples of his work can be found in churches in the surrounding area.

The following dedication appears along the bottom of the window:

“To the Glory of God and in Loving Memory of Basil Perrin Hicks Lieut. 8th Berkshire Regt who gave his life at Loos Sept 25 1915 aged 22.”

Additional information is available here.

  • Queen of Sheba
  • Queen Esther
The Queen Esther & Queen of Sheba window in the north aisle by Henry Holiday was commissioned by the Perrins a little later, in 1919, in memory of their friend Edith L Somers, who died aged 44 on the 11th November 1915. Holiday first used Esther at Salisbury Cathedral c.1880 and she was repeated elsewhere. Her robe has been altered at St Peter’s where she is more demure! The Queen of Sheba began life as Bertha of Kent c.1871 at Trinity College, Cambridge. Her headdress was changed so that she became Queen of Sheba at Kirkby, Merseyside in 1876 and then the figure was reused for Camden Girls’ School, London in 1910/11, before a further repeat at St Peter’s.
  • Abel
  • Moses
  • John Bp
  • Child Christ
  • Timothy
  • Samuel
  • David
The Baptistry windows are by William Morris & Co.(Westminster) Ltd. , an early 20th Century maker (not to be confused with his illustrious 19th Century namesake!) From left to right, the seven windows depict Abel, The Infant Moses, St. John Baptist, The Child Christ, Timothy, Samuel and David. One of them was presented by Ruth Gerrard and Judith Peat on 25 December 1921.

A new two light window depicting the Blessed Sacrament was installed at St. Peter’s in 2016 in memory of Peter and Pauline Edwards who had worshipped at the church for many years.  The window was designed by Chapel Studios of Hunton Bridge. In the left hand light it depicts a eucharistic host and chalice with wheat and grapes after the tradition of the Synoptic Gospels. In the right hand light it depicts loaves and fishes after the Johannine tradition.  The designs are set in various shades of green and yellow, the appearance of which alter with the prevailing light conditions, giving a remarkable sense of depth and life. Each light is surrounded by red and blue tracery which contrasts with the other colours in the window, but  is in sympathy with other works in the church.