Gents Mag 1849 part 2 p.588

Gents Mag 1849 part 2 p.588




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	Gentleman's Magazine 1849 part 2 p.588 whole. In the second partition are the figures of St. George and the Dragon. In the sixth is represented St. Catharine with the emblems of her martyrdom, the sword and the wheel. In the seventh are two figues of the mitred abbots, and underneath them two monks dressed in vestments. In the middle compartment, above, are finely painted, quarterly, the arms of France and England, bound with garter and its motto, probably done in the reign of King Edward III. The rest of the window is filled up by pieces of tracery, with some figures in coats armorial, and the arms of several benefactors to the abbey, amongst whom are Lancaster, Urswick, Fleming, Harrington, Millum, Kirkley, Preston, and Middleton." Such, until very lately, has been the generally received history of this lauded window. Its authenticity has, however, in some measure been recently called in question by the author of the highly erudite and interesting work on the history and antiquities of Furness Abbey, entitled "Annales Furnesienses,"* wherein, after describing the dimensions of the east window of the abbey church to have been 23 feet 6 inches in breadth, and 47 feet in height, proportions infinitely more imposing than those of the window in Windermere church, he questions the authority Mr. West may have had for his assertion that the stained glass was obtained from the abbey. "That part of it," says the author I quote, "may once have filled some of the windows is probable; but it is equally certain that other portions have been procured from Cartmel Priory, as the name of a prior and sub-prior, and the arms of that house, are yet discernible therein." When first set up in Windermere church, it must have been a splendid fenestral embellishment, full of the finest effects, and worthy of either of the noble edifices from which it was removed, as several of the figures are as large as life, the colours very fine, and the drawing of the hands, feet, heads, and remaining parts very perfect. Since that time it has met with much rude treatment; the names of the monks, except those of William Hartley and Thomas Housen, are all effaced, and even so lately as the past year portiosn have been dashed in. Were it not, therefore, for the help afforded by the above description, but little of its former elegant composition and resplendent colouring could now be made out against the confused wreck of its magnificence, so strangely jumbled in chaotic assemblage with square and lozenge panes of plain uncoloured glass, and if the work of spoilation is permitted to continue without endeavour to prevent repetitions of such desecration, in a short time the account above cited will be all that will be left to shew that such a characteristic record of the pious feelings of bygone ages ever existed. In one of the windows in the north aisle are some significant devices - armorial they can scarcely be called - in painted glass, usually known as "the Carriers' Arms." They may be described as a rope and five packing-needles or, with a wantey hook gules, on a pane of uncoloured glass, such being the implements and materials used by carriers to fasten their packing sheets together. Near these industrial emblems, in the same window, but upon another pane, are representations of other instruments likewise used in the same business; and as the tradition current in the parish respecting this piece of emblazonry has reference to an incident in the history of the church, I am tempted to record it. When the church required to be rebuilt, together with the chapels of St. Mary Holme, Troutbeck, and Applethwaite, which had all been destroyed or rendered unfit fot divine worship, the parish was so extremely poor that the parishioners determined that one church should serve the whole. The next question was, where should it stand? The inhabitants of Undewnilbeck (sic) were for having it at Bowness, while others contended that as Troutbeck Bridge was about the centre of the parish it should be built there. Meetings were in consequence held, and many discussions arose; at last a carrier proposed that * The author of this work was Thomas Alcock Beck, esq. He died in 1846, and is thus commemorated in a mural mounument in Hawkshead church, Lancashire: "Thomas Alcock Beck de Esthwaite Lodge in hac parochia, Arm. juxta borealem cemterii angulum tumulitus jacet, Qui Antiquitatum Indagator si quis aliius felicissimum Annales Furnesienses summa elegantia composuit. In ipso literarum cursu adhuc occupatus decessit XXIV. die Aprilis, an. Dom. MDCCCXLVI. aetat LI." - EDIT.

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