CHRIST CHURCH - St Leonards on Sea
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Stained Glass & Frescos



The East Window

Subject: The adoration of the Heavenly Court
The window was given by subscription in 1875 in memory Jane Elizabeth Anne Vaughan, d. 1873.

Light 1: Cherubim, Child Saints: Faith and Prisca, Cyril and Pancras.
Holy Women: Anne, Elizabeth, Mary Magdalen, Helen, Margaret, Elisabeth of Hungary.

Light 2: Angels, Apostles: Peter, Paul, Andrew, John, James the Great, James the Less, Simon, Philip, Bartholomew, Jude, Thomas.
Martyrs: Stephen, Lawrence, Thomas of Canterbury.
Kings: Caspar, Melchior, Balthasar, Oswald, Kenelm, Edmund.

Central Light: The Holy Dove, Christ in Glory: Emblems of the Four Evangelists.
Archangels: Raphael, Gabriel, Michael.
Our Lady and Virgin Saints: Agnes, Catherine, Margaret, Etheldreda, Cecilia,Ursula.
Archbishops: Dunstan, Augustine, Anselm, Patrick.
Doctors: Jerome, Augustine, Gregory, Ambrose, John Chrysostom,
Gregory Nazianzen, Athanasius, Basil.

Light 4: Angels, Patriarchs, Prophets, Kings: Isaiah, David, Isaac, Joshua, Solomon, St John the Baptist,Jacob, Moses, Abraham, Adam.
Bishops: Cuthbert, Osmund, Edmund.
Soldiers: Sebastian, Alban, George, Centurion, Maurice.

Light 5: Seraphim & Hermits: St Neot, St Leonard, St Godrick, St Guthlac.
Monks & Friars: Francis, Dominic, Benedict, Stephen Harding, Venerable Bede.


The Frescos in the Sanctuary

The East Wall, on either side of the East Window:
St Clare, St Thomas Aquinas

Above the Altar:
Kneeling Angels, The Supper at Emmaus, Kneeling Angels

North of the Altar and South of the Altar:
St George, Patron of England; St Richard, Patron of the Diocese
St Alban, proto-Martyr of England; St Edward the Confessor
St Leonard, Patron of the Place; Ven. Bede, Priest & Confessor
St Augustine, Archbishop of Canterbury; St Helena, mother of Constantine
[given by Eleanor Green in 1883 but had to be copied after perishing, this was funded by Christina Trumper and executed under supervision of Messrs Bodley & Hare in 1908]

On the North Wall:
St Columba, Abbot; St Frideswide, Abbess; St Thomas of Canterbury
St Anselm, Archbishop; St Hilda, Abbess; St Wilfrid, Bishop
[given in 1908 by Thomas Haworth, priest, in memory of his mother Susanna]

On the South Wall:
St Bridget; St Patrick; St Hugh; St Etheldreda
[these bear the inscription:“These four frescos are dedicated to the Glory of God, and in special honour of the most Holy Sacrament of the Altar, by four donors, who desire to make a thank-offering for the many mercies received in this church."]


The Four Eastern Windows of the Clerestory

Subject: Types and Prophecies
The windows were given in 1882, two by Elisabeth Maria Roempke, two by Mr Vaughan & made by Messrs Hardman of Birmingham.

  1. Jacob’s Dream.
  2. Abel’s sacrifice.
  3. Isaiah’s vision.
  4. The offering of Isaac.


The West Window

Subject: Prophets, Evangelists, Our Lady and Archangels
The windows were given by various donors in 1904 & made by Messrs Burlison and Grylls

Upper Lights:
St Gabriel " in memoriam, Judith Pulteney.
Our Lady, St Michael " in memoriam, Evelyn Stanley Clarke.
St Raphael " in memoriam, Frederic Call.

Lower Lights:
St Matthew ~ Isaiah " in memoriam, Mary Backhouse.
St Mark ~ Jeremiah " in memoriam, Ellen Frances Backhouse.
St Luke ~ Ezekiel " in memoriam, Anthony William Clarke.
St John ~ Daniel " in memoriam, Ellen Harriet Ludlam.

Windows below the West Gallery

Subject: Holy Baptism and its Types
The windows were given in memory of Sarah Neale, in 1877 & were made by Messrs Beaton, Butler & Bayne.

  1. The safety of Noah.
  2. Moses in the bullrushes.
  3. The passage of the Red Sea.
  4. The Baptism of Christ.
  5. Christ and Nicodemus.
  6. The Commission to Baptise.

The Windows in the North and South Walls under the Gallery

Subjects: The Annunciation and Visitation
The windows, originally in the SW porch, were given circa 1897.


The Windows in the North West Porch

Subject: Our Lady with the Holy Child and St Joseph
Given in memory of ‘little Arthur Abney Wlaker, in 1897.

The Clerestory Windows

Subject: All Saints
The windows were given by various donors in 1904 & were made by Messrs Burlison and Grylls.

North Side

Doctors of the Church Donors
1. St Ambrose, Anon
2. St Jerome, Anon
3. St Augustine, The Parishioners

Monks
4. St Gregory, Anon
5. St Bernard, Georgiana Budd
6. St Francis of Assisi, Margaret Sandeman

Confessors
7. St Athanasius, Robert Wm Mitchell
8. St Charles Borromeo, Henrietta Barbara Vaughan


Two over Choir Entrance

St Mary Magdalene
St Margaret

South Side

Apostles, Donors etc
1. St Peter, Margaret Sandeman
2. St Paul, Margaret Sandeman

Martyrs
3. St Stephen, Emma Menzies
4. St Alban, Harriett Mellersh

Holy Women
5. St Perpetua* in mem. Mabel Caroline Batterham
[* face is taken from a portrait of Mrs Batterham]
6. St Katharine in mem. Florence Beasley

English Saints
7. St Dunstan in mem. Georgiana Vaughan
8. St Cuthbert in mem. Cuthbert Vaughan

Patrons
9. St Nicholas, Patron of sailors & children in mem. Henry & Ethyl Stanley Clarke
10. St Leonard, Patron of prisoners & the place in mem. Ethel Harriet Crofts


The Holy Souls' Chapel Frescos
Near the Altar:
Abraham returning from battle met by Melchizedech, the Priest King

Near the War Memorial:
St Joan of France, St George, Patron of England, St Michael the Standard Bearer, standing over the defeated Angel of Darkness

[the sculptured saint in the Shrine is St Martin, the solder, on whose feast Armistice Day fell. There are 64 names on the memorial The memorial has recently been restored and details investigated about the names that appear on the memorial from the Great war. Details of these former members of the congregation can be obtained from the parish office]


The Lady Chapel Windows
Subject: Types and History of Our Lady
The windows were given anonymously in 1877 & were made by Messrs Heaton, Butler and Bayne.

The West Window, which represented the Fall of Adam & Eve and their expulsion from Eden, was removed to the SW wall by the sacristy door in 1906.

The First Window in the North wall shows:

Light 1:The Burning Bush, Gideon’s Fleece.
Light 2:The Nativity of Our Lady. Her dedication in the Temple. Her espousal to St Joseph.
Light 3:The Annunciation. The Birth of Christ.

The Second Window:

Light 1: The adoration of the Shepherds. The presentation in the Temple.
Light 2: The adoration of the Magi. The flight into Egypt. Our Lord taught by his mother.
Light 3: With the Doctors in the Temple. The Holy Family.

Windows in the Apse:

The marriage at Cana. Our Lady and St John. The Cruxifixion.


The Lady Chapel Frescos
[work of Messrs Bodley and Hare and were done when Chapel was redecorated in 1906]

The North Wall:
The Magnificat " in mem. Elizabeth Maria Roempke

Beside the Arch of the Sanctuary:
The Annunciation " in mem. Henrietta Barbara Vaughan