Stained Glass. Wnlfhall, Salisbury. 



227 



Whilst on the subject of stained glass I should like to put on more lasting 

 record the following interesting letter, which appeared in a local newspaper some 

 time ago, relating to the wanton destruction of painted glass in Salisbury 

 Cathedral towards the end of the last century, at the time when the disastrous 

 alterations wore being made in the Cathedral by Wyatt, under the auspices of 

 Bishop Barrington. It was written on 16th June, 1788, by John Berry, glazier, 

 of Harnham, to John Lloyd, Esq., of Conduit Street, Hanover Square, London : — 



" Sir. This day I have sent you a Box full of old Staind and Painted Glass 

 as you desired me to due wich I hope it will sute your Purpos it his the best that 

 I can get at Present. But I expet to Beatt to Peceais a great deale verey sune 

 as it his of now use to we and we Due it for the lead if yow want Eney more of 

 the same sorts you may have what thear his, if it will Pay for Taking out, as it 

 his a Deal of Truble to what Beating it to Peceais his you will send me a line as 

 sune as Posobl for we are goain to move ore glasing shop to a Nother Plase and 

 thin we to save a greatt Deale more of the like sort wich I ham your most Omble 

 Servnt John Berry." 



The original, endorsed " Berry ye Glazier about beating the fine painted Glass 

 Window at Sarum to pieces to save the Lead ! ! ! " is in the possession of Miss 

 Conway Griffith, in North Wales. 



This barbarity was certainly equal to anything perpetrated at the time of the 

 Eeformation or during the period of the Civil Wars. 



The greater part of the glass so destroyed was probably the portions then re- 

 maining of the original "grisaille" windows of the middle of the thirteenth 

 century, from the want of which the present interior of Salisbury Cathedral 

 suffers so terribly. With the exception of the great eastern and western windows, 

 and perhaps a few others of importance which were filled with the rich mosaic 

 glass of the period, it is probable that the whole of the side windows of the 

 arcades and clerestories were occupied with a plainer decoration, consisting of 

 foliaged scroll-work on a white ground of a rich sea-green hue, with narrow 

 borders and occasional medallions of richly-coloured glass. A valuable store of 

 this glass, brought from different parts of the Cathedral, is still preserved in the 

 windows of the south-eastern transept. The grandest existing example of this 

 kind is to be found in the windows of the north transept of York Cathedral 

 known as the Five Sisters. 



The great variety of design in the composition of these windows seems to have 

 been suggested by the idea of forming a rich and complicated pattern by 

 arranging in layers, panels, or figures, in such a manner that each layer might 

 over-lap and partially conceal those beneath. Others have a geometrical pattern, 

 in which the design is expressed solely by the lead-work used in the construction 

 of the windows. 



It was probably owing to the cost and difficulty of repairing these windows, 

 also from the large quantity of lead employed in their composition, that the 

 "restorers " of 1788 would find their excuse for clearing away the whole mass 

 and replacing them with the cold quarry glazing which now exists. 



I am, yours faithfully, 



J. E. Nightingale. 



