Church of St Martin, Kensal Rise, London NW10
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Church of St Martin, 134/6 Mortimer Road, Kensal Rise, London NW10 5SNRecommended by
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East windowArtist, maker and date
Henry Payne, 1908Reason for highlighting
There is a fine selection of windows by this later Arts and Crafts artist throughout the Church, of which the best is the east window, over which he took exceptional care.
Artist/maker notes
Henry Albert Payne (1868-1940) was a key maker of Arts and Crafts stained glass. He is closely linked to Birmingham School of Art, both as a student and later as a teacher, training designers and makers such as Margaret Agnes Rope (1882-1953), A. J. Davies (1877-1953), Richard Stubington (1885-1966) and Florence Camm (1874-1960).
In 1901, in advance of launching its stained glass classes, Birmingham The School of Art paid for him to have three months training in stained-glass making from Christopher Whall. Despite Payne’s short tenure with him, Whall was clearly impressed by his work, and used one of Payne’s designs in his book, Stained Glass Work of 1905.
The following year saw the beginning of his association with William Lygon, 7th Earl Beauchamp of Madresfield Court. Beauchamp’s commissions included both stained glass and murals for Madresfield Court Chapel, with the latter being one of Payne’s best known works as a painter.
In 1909 Payne left Birmingham and moved to Amberley, near Stroud in Gloucestershire, and created his own small craft guild, the St. Loe’s Guild, in the house adapted for him by local Arts and Crafts architect Sidney Barnsley. It was there he trained his son, Edward Payne.
Major later commissions include a war memorial window for the church of St. James, Chipping Campden in Gloucestershire, a mural for the Houses of Parliament, and memorial glass to the fallen of the British Empire at the French National War Memorial at Notre Dame de Lorette, 1929.
Payne’s grand-daughter is the artist, Caroline Swash.
Sources:
Stained Glass Window Makers of Birmingham School of Art by Roy Albutt, 2013
Henry Payne Stained Glass Work at Birmingham School of Arts by Roy Albutt on Historywm.com
Other comments
A further fine example of Henry Payne’s work, a particularly attractive David at the west end of the church, can be seen on his Artist page.
There is an interesting comparison to be made between the work of Henry Payne and his son, Edward Payne (1906-1991). The suggestion of Edward’s hand can be found in his father’s St Oswald window in the nave, but it is in his wonderful Ascension window (1948) that we see the full expression of his talent.
The Arts and Crafts theme in the church is continued in the Lady Chapel with Robert Anning Bell’s east window, 1901, and two windows by A. J. Dix on the south side of St Martin and St Cecilia, which complement the style of Robert Anning Bell’s east window.
The most recent addition is a tribute to Mary Seacole (2016) by Andrew Taylor.
Further reading: The 100 Best Stained Glass Sites in London by Caroline Swash, Malvern Arts Press, 2015