Last updated 05:13, Friday, 07 November 2008

Much has been written about the magnificent east window of Carlisle Cathedral but there are gaps in its later history.

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Today: It is truly remarkable that any of the medieval stained glass in Carlisle Cathedral’s east window has survived – especially given the events of 1766

It is remarkable that any of the medieval stained glass has survived when the events of 1766 are taken into consideration.

In the Dean and Chapter register is a copy of a letter sent to Lady Gower on July 2; “We take the earliest opportunity of returning your ladyship our grateful acknowledgement [of a second benefaction of £100] and we will take care that it be particularly applied to the repairing and beautifying the east window agreeable to your ladyship’s pleasure intimated to us by the Lord Bishop.”

With this money the lower part of the window was re-glazed in plain glass, with a coloured border, to let in more light.

According to Billings the original upper glazing only “owed its preservation to the difficulty of re-glazing its small intricate forms.” The medieval glass taken out was stored and over the years, with many breakages and losses, was mixed with other fragments from different windows.

It was not until April 9, 1925 that the Dean and Chapter ordered “that the ancient glass at present stored in the Fratry be placed in the window over the north porch as recommended by Miss Townshend at an estimated cost of £58”.

A severe storm damaged the east window in January 1839. The Carlisle Journal reported several panes broken.

It was in November the following year that the Chapter ordered “that the large window in the east end of the Cathedral be repaired... by replacing the glass where broken and filling up the interstices between the mullions and the glass with cement”.

But this was only a temporary repair. The Chapter ordered in March 1843 that “the Rev Harcourt be requested to confer with Mr Salvin as to his terms on which he will personally ascertain the state of the east and other windows in the Cathedral and what repair or renovations is necessary and, if not more than £10 be required by Mr Salvin, engage him for that sum”.

As part of the restoration of the Cathedral, the Journal reported in August 1853: “The eastern window, which Rickman pronounced to be one of the finest in England, is to be taken down and carefully restored.”

The glass was taken out by William Wailes of Newcastle in 1855 for restoration while the stone tracery could be repaired.

It was intended that the 18th-century plain glass should be replaced with figurative glass which would match the medieval glass above.

This was to be a memorial window for Bishop Hugh Percy to be paid for by subscription.

In June 1859 Chapter recorded that: “Mr Hardman be allowed to take away three of the compartments from the upper part to be carefully preserved and replaced when done with.”

Once work was completed in November 1861, Hardman sent in his bill for £1,190.

Under the direction of Mr Hardman, stated the Carlisle Patriot in December 1861, scaffolding was erected and the “dexterous hands of the skilled workmen” eased the new glass into place.

All that was now required was an inscription plate below the window commemorating the dedication to the bishop.

This was ordered in February 1862 with the agreement that the old glass removed from the east window be contributed towards the expense of the subscription,” to pay for the plaque.

In his recent paper on the east window David O’Connor said that further storm damage in September 1891 had to be repaired. He said “the only serious work since Wailes’s restoration was the conservation carried out by York Glaziers Trust in 1982-83”.

However, Mr O’Connor was perhaps unaware of what went on in the intervening years.

An observer was concerned “to see how the glass in the upper part of the east window is being destroyed,” in a letter to the Journal in March 1922.

Thus alerted, the Chapter ordered in February 1925 that scaffolding be erected for closer inspection and to enter into negotiations with Mr Eeles and others on the repair work.

Once this was done, the Chapter ordered that the “work be carried out at once by Messrs Lowndes and Drury of Fulham, supervised by Miss Townshend”.

To enable the work to be financed, the Dean launched an appeal with a letter to the Journal.

This coincided with the restoration of the bells and in September the newspaper announced that both projects were nearing completion.

In November 1940, with the likelihood of bomb damage, the Chapter investigated “the possibility of protecting the east and other windows with tarpaulins”, but decided that as “no practical solution of the problem seemed to be possible no action be taken”.

Again in August 1942 there were newspaper concerns about the “Cathedral in War”.

The Journal explained that three firewatchers were on duty each night “paid for by the authorities and the surveyor has had plans and photographs taken of the building and furniture,” which had been placed in safe custody.

Questions about the danger to the east window had been asked and consideration given to the risk of damage by removal and the expense involved.

Just as in 1838 when the Patriot reported on the importance of the recently completed drawings by Billings which were to be published, it was said: “Should any portion of the building be destroyed by fire, decay or accident of any description, it could immediately be restored.”

With stained glass conservation being more readily available elsewhere, the Chapter minute in May 1960 recorded that “the Dean of York was to come over to look at the glass with the idea of its removal to York before the autumn for repair”.

But this timescale did not go to plan.

The Chapter decided in June 1962 that, as the medieval glass in the east window did not need attention, a provisional booking be made for seven or eight years’ time with the York glaziers for the Victorian glass.

As David O’Connor said, it was the 1980s before the work was carried out.