Martin Crampin: 'The People’s Window, Fishguard' (2023)

Description

Lede
A stained glass window in Fishguard by one of Wales’ most distinguished artists in stained glass was paid for by past and present parishioners and alludes to the winter storms.

Story
The tradition of commissioning stained glass at St Mary’s Church in Fishguard began relatively late in the 1920s. The church was designed in the 1850s with an outward appearance and interior that had more in common with Nonconformist chapels than many Anglican churches. When the new vicar, Revd R. Lloyd Lloyd, arrived in 1894, he found the interior of the church unornamented and placed a cross and candlesticks on the altar, fashioning an altar frontal from his wife’s wedding gown.

By 1919 it was agreed that the church was in dire need of renovation, and estimates for new windows were sought from the local ironmongers, W.R. Eynon & Co. How many plain windows by the local firm were eventually supplied is unknown, because a series of nine memorial stained glass windows were commissioned for the church by three different London firms between 1919 and 1930. All of these windows were commissioned by local families in memory of family members who had recently died.

After the Second World War more stained glass windows were commissioned, including two by the Swansea firm, Celtic Studios. Celtic Studios were the first stained glass studio to make windows in any quantity for churches, and made plenty of windows for churches across south Wales. Another Welsh artist who began making windows for churches in the 1960s was John Petts, and two of his windows now fill the east window over the altar and the large west window above the gallery.

By the 1980s the windows over the balcony at the west end of the church needed repair. It was estimated that the cost of replacing the plain glazing would amount to about £1100, but the vicar, Revd Gerwyn Morgan, had approached John Petts who quoted £3360 to fill the three window lights with stained glass. Clearly keen to get the commission, Petts stated that he was able to quote 1981 prices due to the quantity of lead that he still had in stock. Morgan described Petts as ‘one of the top men in his field’ and by the 1980s Petts had undertaken commissions for a wide range of religious buildings, including an impressive set of panels for Brighton & Hove New Synagogue and sets of windows and sculpture for the Catholic churches in Briton Ferry and Gorseinon.

Unlike the previous windows that were all privately financed, it was decided that the window would not be a memorial but funded by contributions of £5 from past and present parishioners. An overwhelming response raised £3000 in the first few days of the campaign and the window became known as ‘The People’s Window’. It was installed towards the end of 1984.

The window shows Christ in the central window calming the storm around him, as his disciples cower from the strength of the storm. The words ‘Peace be Still’ are found below and Petts felt that the familiarity of the people of Fishguard with the winter storms that approach the town from the sea would resonate with the message conveyed in the window. One further window was added to the church in 1986, which was also the work of John Petts. This was a memorial to Revd D.F. Williams, the vicar of Rudbaxton in Pembrokeshire, who was formerly from Fishguard, and it faces the People’s Window from the far side of the church on east wall of the sanctuary.

• https://perma.cc/8AWD-HGYA (link opens in new window)