I’ve been having a few churchy days lately, courtesy of the bell-ringers in the family.
On Monday, I spent an hour at our local church, All Saints, Soulbury. I’ve been there so many times, but I still love to wander around, it’s a fascinating place. But in all the hours I’ve spent in that church, I’d never previously realised there was a little medieval treasure waiting to be found…
Have a good look at this chancel window…
Now, the chancel windows, on either side, each has that colourful glass border. I’d never paid it any attention on other visits. But while I was there on Monday, I took a closer look.
And it appears that each of those coloured sections is a fragment of medieval stained glass – presumably from the pre-Reformation days. Most of the fragments are difficult to identify, although I spotted a few architectural features, and some fabric drapes, but suddenly, I noticed a face…
and then another…
And then more…
Each one is really tiny, but has incredible, fine detail. It never fails to take my breath away when we get these little connections to people from the past. I would so love to know who painted those faces.
❤
Dreaming In Stitches 
And wouldn’t it be great to know the story of how they were preserved and incorporated into a newer window?!
You’re right, and I’m hoping someone at Soulbury might know the answer to that one – it does emphasise just how much more colourful churches were pre-Reformation.
What a wonderful discovery!
I did give out a little gasp when I saw the first face!
pure magic 🙂
It is a kind of magic, I agree 🙂
Wow, lovely, Anny! I would be delighted to have found these, too! 🙂
Just goes to show, even places you think you know well can still hold surprises 🙂
I love, love, love fragments of medieval glass patched back into windows and these are fabulous. Those faces are so real and human.
Gorgeous aren’t they! I know that from now on, I’m going to be paying a lot more attention to things like this.
What a lovely discovery. I get the impression the artist had a sense of humour judging by the expressions on the faces.
I do wonder about medieval artists and how they thought they should represent features – there almost seems to be a standard way of doing it, but how did they decide that? Oh the questions we could ask if there was time-travel!