Church of St Mary, Bucklebury, Berkshire
Address
Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, 10 Strand Street, Bucklebury, Berkshire RG7 6PRRecommended by
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Chancel east window ‘The Crucifixion’Artist, maker and date
Designed by Frank Brangwyn and made by James Sylvester Sparrow, 1912Reason for highlighting
Already one of the most powerful draughtsmen of his age, Brangwyn’s elemental graphic force and theatrical sense of colour are used explosively in this overwhelming three-light window of 1912. It is supported by two single lancets chancel windows and a further three-light Nativity window in the north aisle of 1917. The leading marvellously dramatises effects already present in his paintings and, even more intensely, in his greatest etchings. There is little Brangwyn glass, so treasure it.
Artist/maker notes
Frank Brangwyn RA RWS RBA (1867-1956) was an exceptionally talented artist, who worked across many disciplines, just a few of which were painting (both oils and water colours), print making, illustration, mural painting and stained glass. Remarkably he was largely self-taught, yet by the age of seventeen had had a painting accepted at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. Over the rest of his life his output would be prodigious, and he would receive many honours, while remaining outside the art establishment.
Sources:
Frank Brangwyn website
Brangwyn by Liss Llewellyn
James Silvester Sparrow (1845-1915) was born in Ripon, Yorkshire, and worked in the north-east of England before coming to London in 1890. He remained in London for the rest of his life, working initially for Clayton & Bell before setting up his own studio. Martin Harrison notes that “his stained glass is always very dark and dense, with a brooding fin-de-siècle atmosphere to it”, and quotes that he liked to refer to himself as the ‘Wagner of stained glass’.
Sparrow also made windows to the designs of others, including Walter Crane (1845-1915) and Frank Brangwyn (1867-1956).
Sources:
Victorian Stained Glass by Martin Harrison (Barrie & Jenkins, 1980)
Arts and Crafts Stained Glass by Peter Cormack (Yale University Press, 2015)
Other comments
As an enjoyable extra, there is a 16th century sundial in the north aisle. Note the ‘fly’ in the glass.