Jane Gray (b.1931)

Design for Stained Glass Panel in a Private House (1978)

This design is for a window commemorating Arthur Henry Edmond Esq., of Ranelagh, 50 Russell Road, Moor Park, Northwood, Middlesex, who held the position of High Sheriff of Greater London between 1973-4. The Clan from whom the Arthurs family descends began among the ancient Dalriadan kingdom of the west coast of Scotland. Their name comes from the Celtic personal name, Arthur, which is of various and often disputed etymology. The personal name Arthur may be derived from some early cognate of the Gaelic “art” and the Welsh “arth”, meaning “bear” and may indicate early Celtic worship of the bear or one who has a high regard for the bear’s virtuous qualities. The Latin motto,  ‘Impelle obstantia’ (meaning, 'Thrust aside obstacles’) would originally have acted a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first appeared in coast of arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. The office of High Sheriff of Greater London was created in 1965 and granted armorial bearings 1966. The blazon of the arms, as depicted here is: ‘Gules, two seaxes in saltire argent, pommels and hilts or, between in chief a Saxon Crown or and in base a horse courant argent’.

Jane Gray (b.1931)

All Saints Church, North Hillingdon, Design for Stained Glass Window (1982)

All Saints Church, North Hillingdon was constructed in 1930—one of the first of 45 new churches from “The Forty-Five Church Funds” to build new sites of worship in and around the diocese of London. The church was designed by Sir Charles Nicholson and built in Metroland to serve families being moved from inner London. In 1932, the foundations of the church were laid and it was consecrated by in 1933 by the Bishop of Kensington.

Jane Gray (b.1931)

Saling Hall, Essex, Floral Design for Stained Glass Window

Saling Hall, in Essex, has a long and rich history, dating back to the early 12th century when Sir Baldwin Wiscart was the first recorded Lord of the Manor. After his his son, the house passed to the knightly family of Bibbesworth, who lived there for four generations. Sir Walter de Bibbesworth was a crusader and a poet (in French). Nothing remains of the first Saling Hall which was rebuilt around 1590 by the Maxey family who had bought the hall in 1487. The house faced further remodelling by its 17th century owner, Martin Carter, a lawyer. He ornamented the new facade with Dutch gables, which are the latest example of their kind in Essex, and the house has changed little since. The hall passed through many more hands before it was bought, in 1935, by Lady Isabella Carlyle (née Barton) who was a passionate gardener and gave the Hall its first modern gardens. Lady Carlyle sold the Hall in 1971 to Hugh Johnson, a well known garden writer, who continued Lady Carlyle’s work on the gardens. This watercolour sketch is an early design for a stained glass window commissioned by Johnson for a fanlight in Saling Hall. Johnson wished the design to include the plants he grew in his own garden to symbolise the seasons. Gray designed the panel using Corsican Hellebore for winter, the Crown Imperial Fritillary for spring, Dog Rose for summer (although, this was changed to Agapanthus in the final design), and Japanese Anemones for autumn. In the final window, Gray also included vines to frame the design and nod to Johnson’s oenological interests.

Jane Gray (b.1931)

Early Design for Stained Glass Memorial Window (1962)

A rare example of Gray’s early work, this design shows a more traditional approach to stained glass window design, something that Gray came to eschew in favour of a more modern style in much of her later work. This design was for a memorial window commemorating Rosemary Anstice, although its intended location is unknown.

Jane Gray (b.1931)

Early Design for 'Ave Maria' Stained Glass Window (1960)

A rare example of Gray’s early work, this design shows a more traditional approach to stained glass window design, something that Gray came to eschew in favour of a more modern style in much of her later work. Its intended location is unknown.

Jane Gray (b.1931)

Church of the Holy Nativity, Bristol, Design for Stained Glass Memorial Window, Commemorating Frank Ernest Pring (1997)

The Church of the Holy Nativity in Bristol started out as a Mission Chapel in the latter half of the 19th century, when the population of hamlets surrounding Bristol expanded into suburbs—the result of industrial growth around Temple Meads railway station. The site chosen was close to Arnos Vale Cemetery in Knowle, where a wooden church was built to serve the local residents, opening in 1865. From the start the Mission Chapel was well attended and grew significantly in size until it became necessary to find a larger, more permanent building to accommodate the congregation. In 1867 the Chapel was moved to a new site in Wells Road, Knowle, and an appeal for building funds started. To save money the new church was developed in sections, and the Mayor of Bristol laid the foundation stone of the new church in June 1870, it was dedicated on Holy Cross Day, in September, 1871.  Tragically, during the first heavy air raid on Bristol on 24th November 1940, Holy Nativity became the first church in the city to be destroyed, however, by some stroke of luck, the Tower, Clock and Bells survived the destruction and it was said that as flames consumed the church the clock continued to chime. Approval  to rebuild the church was given in December 1950 and the new church was completed in November 1955. The church was consecrated on the Feast of the Conversion of St Paul, in January 1958. This window was dedicated to the memory of the late churchwarden emeritus, Ernest Pring. In this window, Gray incorporated many significant features of Ernest’s life such as his churchwarden’s staff, the Boy Scouts, his favourite biblical text and the Bristol landscape. A cross dominates the design and a star beams light across the whole design from above. Adjacent to the window is a memorial to Phyllis Pring, Ernest’s wife, also designed by Gray. This window was installed in 1998.

Jane Gray (b.1931)

‘Peace’ Design for a Christmas Card (1989)

This simple but effective design for a Christmas card from 1989 beautifully demonstrates Gray’s modernist style, with her recognisably colourful palette and simple yet detailed delineation of her geometric, lettered design.

Jane Gray (b.1931)

St Giles Church, Bradford on Tone, Taunton, Somerset, Design for Stained Glass Window (2011)

St Giles Church in Bradford on Tone lies nestled between the Blackdown and Quantock Hills and dates back from the 13th century. One of the lords of the manor, Sir John de Merit (d.1391), founded a chantry chapel here in 1387 but the church has undergone a series of renovations since. The present south aisle and most of the windows date to the 15th century, and the west tower to the early 16th century, before the church underwent full restoration works in 1867.

Jane Gray (b.1931)

Gatton Church, nr Redhill, Surrey, Design for Stained Glass Window (1979)

Dated, detailed in artist’s hand and studio label verso.

A church has existed in this Surrey parish since the Doomsday Survey in 1086 but the present Church dates back to the 13th century, undergoing extensive alterations in the 18th and early 19th centuries. Notably, in 1834, the pulpit and altar, bought from Nuremberg, were hopefully attributed to Albrecht Dürer; the carved doors had travelled from Rouen; the presbytery stalls from a disestablished monastery in Ghent, the altar rails from Tongeren; and the stained glass for the windows, and the wainscoting of the nave and carved canopies had come from Aarschot, near Leuven. This tiny church window was one of Gray’s smallest commissions. Her brief was to include the church at the heart of the Gatton agricultural community, and she did, supplementing this with illustrations of corn, oats, barley, poppies, bees, butterflies, ladybirds, a caterpillar and a grasshopper, alongside small roundels set amongst these containing a calf, a tractor, and a combine harvester respectively. The window was installed in 1980.

Jane Gray (b.1931)

St Paul’s Church, Warwick, Design for One of Two Stained Glass Windows (1991)

Signed, dated and studio stamp verso.

Rapid population expansion in Warwick in the early 1800s, due to the opening of the canal and industrialisation, saw the churchyards of St Mary and St Nicholas unable to cope. In 1823 both churches petitioned the Bishop of Worcester for extra burial space, but it wasn’t until 1918 that the Coventry diocese was finally created. A cemetery and chapel, known as St Mary’s Episcopal Chapel were built in 1824 on the site where St Paul’s sits today but was used exclusively for burials. In 1844 the Parish of St Paul's was formed and the church was consecrated on 26th July 1844 by the Bishop of Worcester. This window was installed in 1992.

Jane Gray (b.1931)

St Catherine’s Church, Penrith, Cumbria, Design for Stained Glass Memorial Windows (1992)

Signed, dated and studio stamp verso.

St Catherine’s Church, Penrith is a Puginian Gothic town church, built by Fr George Haydock of Cottam and other Catholic notables in the early 19th century in the 14th century Gothic style. The church and its substantial presbytery, built in 1853, adjoin the churchyard of the Anglican parish church. This window was installed in 1992.

Jane Gray (b.1931)

Framfield Church, Uckfield, Sussex, Design for Stained Glass Window (1961)

Signed and dated on backing board and verso.

The village of Framfield is mentioned in the Domesday Book, suggesting that there may have been a church on this site in the 11th century; however, the building of the existing church began in the early 13th century when  Hempstead chapel was erected, a prelude to the much larger church that followed, consisting of a nave, north and south aisles, western tower, chancel, and chapels. Between 1200 and 1250, this new church emerged into the structure that survives unto the present day. A rare example of Gray’s early work, this design shows a more traditional approach to stained glass window design and centres on the figure of Jesus playing with children. In much of her later work, Gray eschewed this traditional, medieval style in favour of a more modern style.

Jane Gray (b.1931)

Church of St Peter and St John the Baptist, Wivelsfield, Sussex, Design for Stained Glass Memorial Window (1993)

Signed, dated and studio stamp verso.

The country Church of St Peter and St John the Baptist in Wivelsfield, East Sussex, dates back to around the 11th century. Since then it has undergone several renovations; the south aisle is 13th century, the tall south chapel is 14th century, the southwest tower was built around 1500 and the chancel was lengthened in the 19th century. Originally, the church was a chapelry of Ditchling, and it wasn't until after the Reformation that the church separated completely. This window was commissioned to commemorate Sir Bryant Godman Irvine, former  Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons, and to his wife, and features both their family crests. The window was installed in 1995.

Jane Gray (b.1931)

St Mary’s Church, Harmondsworth, Design for Stained Glass Window (1982)

Studio stamp verso.

St Mary’s Church, the Parish Church of Harmondsworth, dates from the 12th-15th centuries. The South aisle, with its massive Norman columns, and the entrance are the oldest parts of the building still intact today. The North aisle dates from the 13th Century, the North Chapel the 14th Century, the chancel was remodelled in the 15th Century, and the tower was built in 1500. In the 19th century the church underwent extensive restoration and a porch and vestry were added but the original Norman font still exists today. This window features a red Cross and a wreath of flowers, and was installed in the church in 1983.

Jane Gray (b.1931)

St Peter’s Church, Cound, Shropshire, Design for Stained Glass Lettered Panel (1999)

Studio stamp verso.

St Peter’s Church, Cound lies in the grounds of the Cound Hall estate and is dedicated to St Peter because of its medieval association with Shrewsbury Abbey (dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul). The oldest part of the present church dates back to the 13th century but it has been renovated several times since then, with additions from the 14th, 15th and 19th centuries. This unique design by Gray highlights her modern style, the simple lettered panel, bearing the Latin name for the holy spirit, brimming with vibrant energy.

Jane Gray (b.1931)

Floral Design for Domestic Stained Glass Window

Studio stamp verso.

This uniquely shaped design for a domestic window centres on a sprawling pair of entangled floral branches that cover the small squared panels in an astute imitation of a trellis. The design is typical of many of Gray’s domestic windows which often focus on floral designs.

Jane Gray (b.1931)

St Leonards Church, Stagsden, Bedfordshire, Design for Stained Glass Window  (1998)

Signed and dated verso.

Stagsden receives mention in the Domesday Book, suggesting the likely existence of a church here in the 11th century, St Leonard’s church is, however, first recorded in the 13th century, the vicar in 1229 being Reginald de Stacheden (Stagsden). The nave and the chancel of the present church date back to a similar period. Additions and renovations have since taken place, including the late 14th/early 15th century addition of the north chapel. This window was installed in 2000.

Jane Gray (b.1931)

St John the Baptist Church, Preen Manor, Design for Stained Glass Window (2003)

Signed, dated and studio stamp verso.

St John the Baptist Church sits at the heart of the Shropshire hamlet, Preen. Church Preen Manor sits adjacent to the church and lies on an old Clunjac Monastery, thought to have been built in 1159. The present church was built in the 13th century although it was originally a monastic church, founded as a cell of Wenlock Priory in 1163 and features in the Domesday Book. A prior and two or three monks would have served the church, however the priory has little remains, excepting a few visible in the gardens of Church Preen Manor.

Jane Gray (b.1931)

St Mary’s Church, Longnor, Shropshire, Design for Stained Glass Millennium Commemoration Window (2000)

Signed, dated and studio stamp verso.

St Mary’s Church, Longnor, was originally built as a chapel to Condover around 1280 A.D. It was then a private chapel to the Corbett family of Longnor Hall, before becoming the parish church. These designs for two stained glass roundel windows in the East window were commissioned to commemorate the Millennium. This window was installed in 2001.

Jane Gray (b.1931)

The Worshipful Society of Apothecaries, Design for Stained Glass Millennium Window (1999)

Signed.

The Worshipful Society of Apothecaries was founded in 1617, after breaking away from the Grocers’ Company (founded 1345). The Society were granted a royal charter by James I, and, throughout the remainder of the 17th century, challenged the College of Physicians monopoly on practicing medicine. In 1704, the House of Lords overturned a ruling of the Queen’s Bench that gave apothecaries the right to practice medicine. Apothecaries, therefore, may be viewed as the forerunners of present-day general (medical) practitioners or family physicians. Gray’s design for this 2000 memorial window, in the Apothecaries Hall in Blackfriars, London, features the names and illustrations of several medicinal plants, including Belladonna, Opium, Digitalis, Oenothara, Primrose, Cowslip, Nasturtium, Camomile, and Marigold.

Jane Gray (b.1931)

St Margaret’s Church, Downham, Billericay, Essex, Design for Stained Glass Window

Signed and studio stamp verso.

It is likely that Christians have worshiped at this site for over a thousand years, but it wasn’t until the mid13th century that the first recorded church appeared. The church is dedicated to St Margaret of Antioch, a dragon slayer and patron saint of child bearing. Devotion Saint Margaret of Antioch became popular in the 13th century and there are around 80 churches today that share this dedication from the 13th century. The oldest part of the present church is the tower which dates from c.1470. The nave was rebuilt in the nineteenth century using much of the material from the thirteenth century church. An arson attack in March 1977 resulted in the gutting of the church, resulting in a highly modern interior. This window features the symbol of St Margaret and a red Cross on quarry background. The window was installed in 1988.

Jane Gray (b.1931)

Saling Hall, Essex, Design for Stained Glass Window (1980)

Signed and dated.

Saling Hall, in Essex, has a long and rich history, dating back to the early 12th century when Sir Baldwin Wiscart was the first recorded Lord of the Manor. After his his son, the house passed to the knightly family of Bibbesworth, who lived there for four generations. Sir Walter de Bibbesworth was a crusader and a poet (in French). Nothing remains of the first Saling Hall which was rebuilt around 1590 by the Maxey family who had bought the hall in 1487. The house faced further remodelling by its 17th century owner, Martin Carter, a lawyer. He ornamented the new facade with Dutch gables, which are the latest example of their kind in Essex, and the house has changed little since. The hall passed through many more hands before it was bought, in 1935, by Lady Isabella Carlyle (née Barton) who was a passionate gardener and gave the Hall its first modern gardens. Lady Carlyle sold the Hall in 1971 to Hugh Johnson, a well known garden writer, who continued Lady Carlyle’s work on the gardens. This design is a final drawing for a stained glass window commissioned by Johnson for a fanlight in Saling Hall. Johnson wished the design to include the plants he grew in his own garden to symbolise the seasons. Gray designed the panel using Corsican Hellebore for winter, the Crown Imperial Fritillary for spring, Agapanthas for summer, and Japanese Anemones for autumn. Gray also included vines to frame the design and nod to Johnson’s oenological interests.

Jane Gray (b.1931)

St John’s Church, Broughton, Design for Stained Glass Window (1983)

Studio label verso.

St John’s Church, in rural Preston, began as a wooden family chapel for the Lord of the Manor in the 12th century. This chapel, however, was demolished in 1823. Since then, the rebuilt sandstone church has been remodelled a number of times, the oldest part of the existing church, the tower, dating back to 1533 during Henry VIII’s reign. This window centres on the baptism of Christ by St John and features symbolic imagery of music, flowers, harvest, birds, insects, choristers, schoolchildren, and the church itself. The window was installed in 1985.

Jane Gray (b.1931)

St Peter’s Church, Martindale Design for Stained Glass Windows (1976)

Studio label verso.

St Peter’s Church was built in Martindale, Cumbria in 1880 by a local craftsman using stone from the surrounding area. The church is situated in an enchanting rural oasis and has connections to the acclaimed modern poet, Kathleen Raine, who lived in the Old Vicarage, as well as William and Dorothy Wordsworth who visited the area on one of their Cumbrian excursions. Gray’s ‘Martindale Era’ lasted from 1974-1981, in which time, she designed and installed fifteen stained glass windows in St Peter’s Church. These window designs are for Resurrection and Passion windows on the north-side of the church.

Jane Gray (b.1931)

St Mary the Virgin, Ebony, Tenterden, Design for Stained Glass Window (1983)

Dated in artist's hand and artist label verso.

Worship at Ebony has taken place for some one thousand years but St Mary the Virgin Church, as it exists today, was not built until 1858. A church had previously existed on the island of Ebony where, standing 30 metres above sea level and visible for miles around, it provided a prominent landmark to ships coming up the sea creek. This church, however, was devastated by a fire in the 16th century, and from its ruins, a much smaller church, built in a simple rectangle of Kentish ragstone, was erected, serving the parish until 1858. In this year, the church was taken down, stone by stone, and moved to the nearby hamlet of Reading Street where it stands today. Gray’s design centres on the Anunciation, featuring the figures of Mary and Gabriel, and was installed in the church in 1984.

Jane Gray (b.1931)

St Michael and All Angels Church, Craven Arms, Shropshire, Design for Stained Glass Window (1995)

Signed, dated and studio stamp verso.

St Michael and All Angels is a Norman church that dates back to the 12th century. In 1902, it was sympathetically restored by the renowned early 20th century architect, Detmar Blow in his characteristic Arts and Crafts style, but is perhaps best known for housing both a significant fragment of a medieval wall painting, and the oldest Perpendicular pulpit (with Jacobean additions) in Shropshire.

Jane Gray (b.1931)

St Mary’s Church, Penwortham, Lancashire, Design for Stained Glass Window Dedicated to the Royal British Legion (1984)

Dated and artist label verso.

St Mary’s Church, set in the midst of ancient woodland, is the parish church of the Ancient Parish of Penwortham and dates from the 14th century. The church Nave and Chancel contain several memorial windows and tablets sacred to the memory of parishioners who have died; most are Victorian, such as memorial to John Horrocks, a prominent industrialist in the golden age of the Lancashire cotton industry who founded the textile company Horrockses, Miller, & Co., but the North wall features Gray’s traditional design for a window dedicated to the Royal British Legion.

Jane Gray (b.1931)

Holy Trinity Church, Morecambe, Design for Stained Glass Window (1985)

Signed, dated and artist label verso.

Holy Trinity Church was originally built as a chapel-of-ease to St Mary’s, Lancaster in 1745 on land bequeathed for the purpose in the village blacksmith’s will of 1742.  By the early 1800s the chapel was too small for the growing population and in 1840 it was redesigned and rebuilt by the Lancaster architect, Edmund Sharpe with the help of a personal contribution from Queen Victoria. The church features a number of stained glass windows designed by Shrigley and Hunt, Abbott and Company, and the Loyne Ecclesiastical Studios amongst others.