Stained glass at St Oswald, Warton

Stained glass at St Oswald

Warton

Lancashire

St Oswalds has a fine collection of stained glass. I think I have most of the windows here, though there is definitely one missing (from the vestry) and one or two are at odd angles and were therefore difficult to photograph.

Above. Window showing Jesus sitting at a well.

The inscription at the base of the window reads, "In memory of Edmund Lawson ##### House, who died June 10th 1899 aged 62. Also of Jane Lawson who died September 16th 1860 aged 91 years." There is a scroll above the inscription, but as the photo is of a relatively poor quality it's impossible to read it. Notice the castle in the left hand pane....the gatehouse looks strikingly similar to that at Lancaster Castle! This window was created by local glazier F. Burrow of Milnthorpe. Burrow apparently learned his trade in London, later working at Salisbury Cathedral before moving to Milnthorpe and creating several windows for churches in the region. It shows Jesus talking to a woman of Samaria at a well.

Above. A beautifully detailed window showing Jesus preaching.

The inscription in this window reads "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest". The details in this window are fantastic and have survived remarkably well.

Above. Stained glass set in one of the older windows in the church.

This window was created "In memory of Frances Mary Berkeley who died at Mentone March 4th 1887 aged 72 years". I think Mentone is a suburb of Melbourne in Australia. There are scrolls in each of the panes, with Latin inscriptions. The left hand pane reads "Behold the lamb of god" whilst the right hand pane reads "Behold the handmaid of the lord". The window is by Powell of Leeds and dates from 1872. It shows John the Baptist and the Virgin Mary.

Above. Beautifully coloured three light window.

This window shows three saints, as yet unidentified. The inscription at the foot of the window reads "To the memory of Mary the wife of the Reverend Thomas Dean Vicar of this parish. Born Nov 24 1797. Married May 10 1821 Died Sept 10 1862." The window shows depictions of Faith (left) , Hope (right) and Charity (centre), and is by Henry Hughes.

Above. Jesus 'breaking bread'.

A host of angels hold aloft a scroll with the words "He took bread and blessed and brake and gave to them." At the foot of the window, another inscription reads "Do more with wearn(?) steps. Roam Earth's wilderness. Gone home, Gone home." I have no idea what this means....it almost seems incomplete, as does the first inscription. This window represents the meal at Emmaus after Christ's resurrection, and dates from 1895. It is by Ward and Hughes.

Above. The massive and colourful East window.

The window shows Christ in the centre pane, with the gospel writers surrounding him; Matthew (far left) then Mark, then Luke and finally John (far right) At the top of the window, the two centre figures represent Moses with the tablets (left) and Aaron (right) The four figures to the left of Moses represent the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel (left to right) and the four figures to the right of Aaron represent four kings, David, Solomon, Rehoboam and Josiah (left to right)

The white rose of Lancashire is also represented in this window. The inscription along the bottom of the window reads "In memory of John Bolden of Hyning and Mary his wife. By their children MDCCCLVI" This window is full of religious symbols. There is a pelican, symbol of the passion of Jesus or of self sacrifice, a gryphon, symbol of divine power, a pheonix, symbol of rebirth or resurrection, and, right at the top of the window, the Rod of Asclepius, a symbol commonly used by the medical profession and symbolising healing and medicine. It can also represent the thirteenth sign of the zodiac, Ophiuchus. This window dates from 1856 and is most likely by Henry Hughes (check this link for some of his windows in other churches.) Here is some additional information on Henry Hughes.

Above. A window that could probably be entitled The Good Shepherd.

The centre pane of this window shows Jesus as 'the good shepherd'. The left hand pane shows Jesus with a small child, and a scroll reads "Despise not one of these little ones". The centre pane shows Jesus as the shepherd, with a scroll beneath that reads "He shall gather the lambs with his arms". The right hand pane shows Jesus with what looks like a family, with a scroll beneath that reads "Of such is the kingdom of god". There is quite a long dedication at the foot of the window, which reads "To the glory of god and in affectionate memory of Emily Mary aged seven years, John Archibold Bolden aged three years George Augustus aged four months, children of the Reverend George Thomas and Frances Mary Berkeley, Xmas 1861". It appears that all three children died at Christmas that year. This is another Henry Hughes window.

Above. Stained glass in another of the older windows.

This three light window has the following inscription in a scroll along the bottom. "She stretcheth out her hand to the poor yea she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. Proverbs, chapter 31:20 verse". This is a Henry Hughes window.

Above. An incredibly brightly coloured two light window.

At the top of this window, and angel holds a scroll with the words "In thee O lord do I put my trust". The window is very busy, with vines and grapes of all sorts of colours. A scroll in the left hand panes reads "Blessed are the dead which die in the lord. Rev Chap 14 Ver 13." The right hand pane's scroll reads "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection and the lite. John Chap 11 Ver 23." The dedication at the foot of the window reads "In memory of Mary Walling widow of Richard Salisbury Esq Obit Aug 1822 AET 73 Two of her children & grand children this window is placed by her surviving grandchildren 1862". This is another Henry Hughes window.

Above. Two light window.

The left hand pane bears a scroll with the words "And the womans(?) names was Mary." The left hand pane bears a scroll with the words "Timothy, my dearly beloved son". The window is dedicated as follows "In memory of Bessy Barton who died at Warton Hall May(?) 25th 1871 aged 7 years and of William B. Barton who died at Warton Grange ### 14th 1883 aged 18 years". This window is by the Lancaster firm Shrigley and Hunt. The window shows the Virgin Mary being taught by her mother Anna (left) and Timothy being taught by his mother Lois (right)

Above. Two light window.

There are two inscriptions at the foot of this window. The first reads "I ascend to my father and your father: Matthew Chap 25 8". The bottom one reads "Her children arise up and call her blessed. Her husband also and he praiseth her". The window depicts Christ appearing to Mary Magdalene after his crucifixion (left hand pane) and the parable of the of the wise and foolish virgins (right hand pane) This window is by Henry Hughes.

Above. Three light window.

The simple inscription within a scroll at the foot of the window reads "Gods finger touched her and she #####"

Above. The crucifixion with the two Marys.

The inscription at the foot of the window reads "Woman behold thy son then saith he to the disciples behold thy mother".

Information on these windows taken from Saint Oswald's Church, a guide for the visitor by R.J. Norman and Arthur Penn.