Warwick Castle should be visited in order to inspect one of the most
perfectly preserved strongholds of the Middle Ages, the many features of
interest which it contains and its picturesque situation on the river
Avon, rather than for the small amount of domestic stained glass (of the
grey and yellow stain type) to be found in the long corridor and large
banquet-room. Although worth seeing if one is there, it is not of
sufficient importance to cause a special visit. There are also some
well-preserved panels showing coats of arms at the Leicester Hospital,
but this is a form of glazing frequent in England, and it is no better
here than in many other places. There is, however, glass of great value
and beauty in the famous Beauchamp Chapel which adjoins, on the south,
the chancel of St. Mary's Church. Much interest is added to this
glazing, because the contract for it (dated June 23, 1447) is so full of
details and specifications as to throw valuable light on the conditions
and requirements of the craft at that time. After one's eyes have become
accustomed to the soft-hued English Perpendicular glass, then in the
height of its favour, it is very difficult to realise that these
windows, with their strong colouring, are of the same period as the
delicately toned ones which we have seen at Great Malvern and elsewhere.
The explanation is provided in the contract. It there appears that the
executors of Richard Earl of Warwick were not satisfied with the then
prevailing English system of soft tints, and also that they were
sufficiently advised of the state of the art on the other side of the
Channel to realise that the richer hues which they demanded could be
obtained in France, even though it was impossible or difficult in
England. We read that they required the glazier, John Prudde of
Westminster, to work "with Glasse beyond the Seas, and with no Glasse of
England." Again and again they insist on richness of hue; not only must
he glaze "in most fine and curious colours," but it is specified just
what he shall use, for they provide him with a selection "of the finest
colours of blew, yellow, red, purpure, sanguine and violet, and all
other colours that shall be most necessary." They require that his
designs be made by another artist, and even those must be "in rich
colouring." The contract contains another criticism of earlier English
methods, for they say "of white Glasse, green Glasse, black Glasse, he
shall put in as little as shall be needful." He complied with his
requirements pretty strictly, and further, he used a glass so hard and
tough that its surface has resisted the disintegration which the weather
so frequently caused in English glass of that period. Unfortunately all
the ancient panes are not in place. The entire east window is filled
with them, although a close scrutiny reveals that several of its panels
are brought from side windows. Along the sides of the chapel the
original glazing is only to be found in the tracery lights and the upper
parts of the embrasures, what little there was left in the lower panes
having been used to eke out the east window. The effect of this latter
is complete and splendid. The richness of its colours is assisted by the
golden rays which are so plentiful in the central part of the picture.
The use of the leads is very elaborated and painstaking, many of the
folds of the garments being delineated in this laborious manner. Two
schemes are used for the backgrounds, one, red with lozenge-shaped
squares enclosed by white and gold strapwork, and the other, blue with
similarly bordered squares.
Note in the traceries the red angels, poised upon golden wheels. The
most striking feature of this tracery glazing is the liberal use
throughout of written music, generally supported by angels. In some
instances psalms are written on the white sheets, but more often it is
staves of notes. Above the most easterly pair of windows on each side
are groups of angels playing musical instruments and walking about on a
blue sky dotted over with white stars, much resembling the apples on the
trees of children's storybooks. One should observe what an agreeable use
is made of these small angels that people the traceries. The glazier has
skilfully avoided the ugly effect which would have been produced had the
white sheets of music or psalms been continued in a horizontal line
around the chapel, and has so waved this white line up and down that it
becomes as decorative as the labels so common in German glazing. This
appearance of music on glass is rare in England and rarer still in
France. The rich colours demanded by the Earl's executors must have
produced a splendid effect in this chapel when all the embrasures were
glazed as sumptuously as is the east window. Enough remains, however, to
make the Beauchamp Chapel an important station in any stained glass
pilgrimage.
On the other side of the chancel is the vestry, into whose small east
window have been collected six diminutive panels formerly in the
chancel's east window. They date from 1370 and contrast markedly with
some small enamelled scenes in white and yellow stain (dated 1600)
placed in the same embrasure with them. While the contrast is too sharp
to be agreeable, we are afforded a comfortable, near-at-hand opportunity
to observe the great strides which this craft took during that interval
of time.