Church of All Saints, Falmouth, Cornwall
Address
Church of All Saints, Killigrew St, Falmouth TR11 3PNRecommended by
Highlight
East windowArtist, maker and date
Leonard Pownall, 1912Reason for highlighting
If Phoebe Anna Traquair* had ever designed stained glass, it might have looked something like this. One is irresistibly reminded of the murals on the chancel arch of the Catholic Apostolic Church in Edinburgh (latterly the Mansfield Traquair Centre). There are more angels in this window than seems possible (or necessary) and a greater sense of glorification. It is all a bit overwhelming.
The subject is ‘the revelation of heavenly worship’. At the centre, top, Christ blesses the worshipping hosts with a gesture that looks wonderfully triumphant, as if he had just scored a winning goal. There is a River of Life and Trees of Life. The Book of Revelation is clearly the inspiration, but here too are images of St Michael and the angel Gabriel. Below St Michael, a dark figure steals away with the Earth. Under Gabriel, another figure flies off with – can it be? – the sun?
This scale is Wagnerian – as is the cast. And there is music everywhere – trumpets, harps and angel choirs. There is lamentation and sacrifice. Prophets and priests, lions and lambs. And the heavenly host carefully arranged in a perfect rainbow.
Among the generalised faces, at least one which looks very like a portrait from a photograph – just to our left of Christ’s foot.
* Phoebe Anna Traquair was an Irish-born artist, who achieved international recognition for her role in the Arts and Crafts in Scotland, as an illustrator, painter and embroiderer.
Artist/maker notes
Leonard Augustus Pownall (1864-1926) was a painter and stained glass artist. He worked as a lecturer on Drawing and Painting, and Perspective, at King’s College Ladies’ Department at various times between 1898 and 1910. He then moved to Falmouth, Cornwall.



Other comments
Pownall was a sidesman at the church. His window is reputed to be the first window completely designed and made in Cornwall.
The rather stolid church itself is by John Dando Sedding (1887-90). The Lady chapel has carving by the Pinwill sisters.