Stained Glass – Lady Chapel

Inscription reads:

In affectionate remembrance of loved parents 1869

Located in the Lady Chapel, this window fared less well than its neighbour in the second world war.

St. John the Divine and Zechariah

Right-hand window: From Zechariah

This window depicts children playing with the inscription: And the streets in the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.

Zechariah 8:4-5

Thus says the Lord of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand for very age. And the streets in the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.

This extract from the Old Testament book of Zechariah refers to the restoration of Jerusalem and figuratively the restoration of the Jewish people.

Left-hand window: St John the Divine

He is shown with an inscription: I was in the Spirit

This inscription appears twice in the book of Revelation written by St John when he was exiled to the Island of Patmos in the period AD 95 to 97.

Revelation 1: 9-11

I John, your brother, who share with you in Jesus the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyraira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.

Revelation 4: 1-3

After this I looked, and lo, in heaven and open door! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up hither, and I will show you what must take place after this.” At once I was in the Spirit, and lo, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne! And he who sat there looked like jasper and carnelian, and round the throne was a rainbow that looked like an emerald.

John is shown with an eagle – representing the soaring majesty of his gospel. There is also a chalice with a dragon climbing out of it. This refers to the cup of sorrow foretold by Jesus, and to the legend of St John drinking poison.

The green land masses behind St john are the Island of Patmos.

There is no plaque on this window, but it is possible that both of the windows in the nave of the Lady Chapel are associated with the dedication to ‘loved parents’. This window is the largest window in St Peter’s to have survived unscathed by the bomb blasts of the second world war.

The Lady Chapel was erected in the first decade of the 20th century. It is probable that the windows also date to that period.

St Mary the Virgin Windows

There are eight windows dedicated to the Virgin Mary over the altar of the Lady Chapel.

The inscription reads: To the Greater Glory of God in honour of St Mary the Virgin

These Sanctuary windows were dedicated in October 1906.

1. & 2. By Clara Elizabeth Smith in memory of her Parents Sarah Ann Kirby, died Sept 18.1899 and Rayment Kirby, died May 26 1906 RIP

3. & 4. In memory of Herbert Irons Chope, died Jan 17 1906 RIP

5. Out of devotion to St Mary.

6. In memory of Thomas Jervis, died June 2 1906 RIP

7. & 8. By Ethel Taylor as a thankoffering for spiritual blessings received

These first two windows (left) bear words which are the taken from the opening verse of a hymn by Venantius Fortunatus (530-609) (Quem terra, pontus, aethera)….

Window 1: The God whom earth and sea and sky
Adore and Laud and Magnify

Window 2: Who governs all the threefold frame
To birth as child of Mary came

The parchment latin text in window 2 reads:
“Ecce, virgo concipiet et pariet filium”

“Behold a virgin shall conceive and shall bear a son.” Isaiah 7:14

For the remaining windows, words in the same meter are used:

Window 3: Beneath th’ o’er shadowing of grace,
A maiden lent a dwelling place

Window 4: To that dread Lord, whom night and day
The sun and moon shall all obey.

Windows 5 and 6 (left)

Window 5: All that was lost by woful (sic) Eve
Thy beauteous Offspring did retrieve

Window 6: That mourners might regain the height
Heav’n made of thee its window bright

Windows 7 and 8: (right)

Window 7: Thou wast the great king’s entrance door
Light’s gate, through which the sunbeams pour;

Window 8: Ye ransom’d nations, hail with [mirth]
Life through the Virgin brought to earth.

[The word ‘mirth’ is unclear]