Stained Glass from Welsh Churches

This fully illustrated book brings together over six years of research and an archive of thousands of high-quality photographs, to produce a detailed narrative outlining the range and development of stained glass in Wales from the 14th century up to the present day.

Table of Contents:
Church of St Tydechno, Cemaes (Powys) Church of St John the Baptist, Cardiff Church of St Margaret, Roath, Cardiff Church of St Peter, Cardiff Church of St Peter, Machynlleth Church of St Cybi, Holyhead Church of St Mary, Bodewryd Church of St Peter, Newborough St Margaret, Bodelwyddan St Peter and Vincula, Pennal All Saints, Oysermouth St Tysilio. Bryneglwys St Mwrog and St Mary, Llanfwrog St Julian’s, Newport St Margaret, Merthyr Tydfil St John, Colwyn Bay Mount Pleasant Congregational Church, Pontypool St Tydfil, Merthyr Tydfil St Elvan, Aberdare St Issell, St Issells St Llnio, Llandinam St Giles, Wrexham St David, Capel Dewi St Martin, Flimston St Augustine, Rhymney, Cardiff St John the Baptist, Newport St Rhystud, Llanrhystud St Mary, Monmouth St Seiriol, Penmaenmawr St Deiniol, Hawarden St Ethelwold, Shotton St Maelog, Llandyfaelog St David, Caldey Island Holy Trinity, Ystrad Mynach St Mary, Betws-y-coed St Gwyndaf, Llanwnda St Bledrws, Betws Bledrws (Ceredigion) St Cadoc, Pendoylan St Tysilio, Llantysilio St Hilda, Griffithstown St Peter, Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd Bangor Cathedral St Mathew, Buckley St Elli, Llanelli St Mary, Margam St Oudoceus, Llandogo St Margaret, Mountain Ash St Padarn, Llanbadarn Fawr (Ceredigion) St Peter, Rhoscolyn St Madoc, Llanbadoc St Michael, Lledrod (Cerdigion) St Giles, Wrexham St Marcella, Llanfarchell St Tydfil, Bryn St Brynach, Dinas Cross Holy Name, Fishguard St Cynon, Tregynon All Saints, Ffynnongroyw St Mary, Gladestry St Faith, Llanfoist Holy Trinity, Llandrindod Wells St Sulien, Corwen Nantgwillt, Elan Valley St Mary, Cwrt Henri St Mor and St Deiniol, Llanfor St Thomas, Glyndyfrdwy St Mary, Denbigh St Peter, Carmarthen St Mary, Tenby St Pedrog, Llanbedrog St Mary, Haverfordwest St Peblig, Llanbeblig St Cynllo, Llangynllo (Ceredigion) St Catherine, Canton St David, Glanadda, Bangor St Michael, Pembroke St Basil, Bassaleg St Cawrdaf, Llangoed Holy Trinity, Esclusham (Wrexham) St Mary, Fishguard Tabernacl, Morriston St Mary, Rhuddlan St James, Manorbier St Paul, Grangetown, Cardiff St Mary, Clydach Christ Church, Rossett St Margaret, Mountain Ash St Sanaan, Bedwellty St Mary, Spittal All Saints, Glasbury Heol Awst, Carmarthen St Paul, Cwm St Teilo, Llandeilo St Mary, Magor St John, Newton Nottage St Mary and St Nicholas, Beaumaris All Saints, Porthcawl St Cadoc, Trevethin St Matthew, Maindee, Newport St David, Swansea St Peter, Newchurch, Monmouthsire Hyfrydle, Holyhead Trinity, Penarth Gilgal Baptist, Porthcawl New Siloh, Landore, Swansea St Nicholas and St John, Monkton St Mary, Cardigan St Thomas Beckett, Wolvesnewton St David, Bosherston St Mary, Caernarfon St Andoenus, Mounton St Mary, Abergavenny St Crannog, Llangrannog Llandaf Cathedral St Gabriel, Uplands, Swansea St Barnabas, Felindre (Carms) St Ffraid, Trearddur Bay St Mary Magdalene, St Clears St Mary, Kidwelly St David, Llanfaes, Brecon St John, Gowerton Ewenny Priory Christ Church, Prestatyn St James, Pyle St Gwrthwl, LLanwrthwl St Andrew, Narberth St Mary, Rogiet Christ Church, Ebbw Vale St Tysoi, Llansoy St Mary, Aberafan St Tathan, St Athan Holy Trinity, Aberystwyth St Mary, Llanfair Discoed St Joseph, Swansea St Joseph, Neath St Peter, Cardiff St Non, St Non’s Bay Lady Star of the Sea, Llandudno St Winifrede, Holywell St Patrick, Pembroke Dock St Michael, Llanarth (Ceredigion) Our Lady, Llandovery Holy Name, Fishguard St Joseph, Colwyn Bay St David, Pantasaph St Peter, Lampeter St David, Blaenau Ffestiniog St David, Miskin St Mary, Cwmgors St Catherine, Canton St James, Uplands St Martin, Roath St Peter, Dixton St John, Gowerton St Mary, Hay-on-Wye St Magdalene, Cerrig-y-drudion St Cadfan, Tywyn St Elidyr, Crunwere St Margaret, Crynant St Paul, Newbridge St Mary, Herbrandston St Caron, Tregaron St Mary, Pennard St Agnes, Port Talbot St Non, Llanerchaeron (Ceredigion)

Review :
Our traditional and hackneyed image of Wales is of a landscape peppered with drab and often undistinguished chapels, the black boxes of fiction and poetry. Recent work, in particular that of Peter Lord and his colleagues, has thankfully drawn attention to the rich and varied artistic and architectural heritage of our country, much of which is still available for us to see and appreciate. This sumptuously produced volume, which forms a notable addition to those studies, is based on the authors research for his continuing project to document online the stained glass to be found in Welsh places of worship. Most of the glass concerned is in Anglican churches, but a surprising amount exists also among other denominations, and as the author suggests, there are no doubt interesting examples still to be discovered. One of the surprises of the work is the chapter on medieval stained glass, which shows that more pre-Reformation glass has survived than might be supposed, albeit often in fragments. The examples given include windows showing the heraldic badges of Yorkist kings from the fifteenth century at Caerwys, Old Radnor and Nercwys, and a whole medieval Jesse window at Llanrhaeadr-yng-Nghinmeirch, images which would, like the wall paintings of the Middle Ages, have imprinted themselves on the memory of generations of worshippers. Though stained glass was imported by collectors in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries Thomas Johnes assembled a large collection at Hafod for instance most of the glass now to be seen comes from the nineteenth century, beginning with the Gothic Revival of the 1830s and 1840s, and influenced in different ways by the Oxford Movement and by the work of A. W. N. Pugin. By the mid-century a number of firms had been established to meet the growing demand in churches, though it was not until after the Second World War, with the establishment of the Celtic Studios in Swansea, that Wales had its own studio for the production of stained glass. Windows were installed all over Wales to commemorate individuals, particularly those lost in war, and depicting saints and scenes from scripture. Much of the art was stylised and many patterns were repeated, but by the later twentieth century more originality of design can be detected, and while fewer windows are now produced, their artistic merit may well be greater than those of a past age. This is an admirable survey, illustrated throughout in full colour, which will arouse a great deal of interest and delight those who read it. Much, much more than a coffee-table book, it is a great credit to author and publisher alike. Rhidian Griffiths It is possible to use this review for promotional purposes, but the following acknowledgment should be included: A review from www.gwales.com, with the permission of the Welsh Books Council. Gellir defnyddio'r adolygiad hwn at bwrpas hybu, ond gofynnir i chi gynnwys y gydnabyddiaeth ganlynol: Adolygiad oddi ar www.gwales.com, trwy ganiatd Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru. -- Welsh Books Council