Laurence Whistler, Galaxy window (1994), Church of St Nicholas, Moreton, Dorset.

Photo: Copyright Estate of Laurence Whistler

Laurence Whistler, detail of Trinity Chapel window (1982), Church of St Nicholas, Moreton, Dorset.

Photo: Peter Hildebrand

Church of St Nicholas, Moreton, Dorset

Address

Church of St Nicholas, Moreton, Dorchester DT2 8RH

Recommended by

Phillida Shaw (10)

Highlight

13 engraved glass windows

Artist, maker and date

Laurence Whistler, 1955-1985

Reason for highlighting

A different approach to decorative windows, the 13 windows were designed and engraved by Lawrence Whistler. Whistler was widely regarded as the poet and artist who in his lifetime revived the craft of glass engraving in Britain.

Some visitors, used to the traditional colour of stained glass, may find these engraved windows hard to read, although the darker background of the churchyard and trees outside bring out the ethereal qualities of this monotone craft. Most of them take the theme of light in all its varied forms.

This unusual scheme of windows in a single building illustrates the change and development of an individual artist’s career over a period of thirty years.

Other comments

The present church building dates from 1776. The church suffered a direct hit from a German bomb in 1940 and was largely destroyed. Over the following decade it was rebuilt, but the stained glass was replaced with plain glass.

From 1955 Lawrence Whistler was commissioned to make twelve windows for the church. His final, 13^th, window, on the theme of ‘Forgiveness’, is the ‘Judas’ window. Showing a hanging figure of Judas the design was controversial. The window was not installed until 2014.

T.E. Lawrence, aka. Lawrence of Arabia, is buried in the churchyard of St Nicholas Moreton.

Further reading: The Guardian – The Story of the installation of the Judas window

Artist/maker notes

Sir Laurence Whistler (1912-2000) was a writer, poet and glass engraver. He studied at Balliol College, Oxford, where his fees were paid by his artist brother, Rex. He first took up glass engraving in 1934, when staying with the daughter of Sir Edwin Lutyens, and singlehandedly revived the tradition of point engraving on glass goblets and bowls, an intricate technique popular in the 17th and 18th centuries. His simultaneous use of line engraving and stippling methods on both sides of the glass was a great innovation, creating an illusion of perspective in his portrayal of unmistakeably English landscapes.

Source: Laurence Whistler Obituary by Janet Green – The Guardian

Highlighted dates at this location

1955-85 (Go to date search)

All artists mentioned at this location

Whistler, Laurence