St Thomas' Church Ryde - STAINED GLASS & LEADED LIGHT CONSERVATION. EAST WINDOW.

ST THOMAS CHURCH RYDE FOR NETWORK RYDE

STAINED GLASS & LEADED LIGHT CONSERVATION. EAST WINDOW

This project intended to remove, restore and reinstate the three stained glass windows to the east end of the church.

If required a photographic package is available. However interested parties are strongly advised to arrange a site visit to inspect the windows. Email clerk@rydetowncouncil.gov.uk.

OVERVIEW - East Window

The east window comprises of three large lancet stained glass windows, the centre being the tallest. The windows were installed in 1883. The stained glass windows are set into a wooden frame and not into the masonry. Overall they are in poor condition.

Left stained glass window.

The stained glass window comprises four sections. The approx. overall size is 0.98m x 3.3m. There are eight saddle bars fixed into the wooden frame, some have been added at a later date to hold the window in. The top section is being pulled apart and daylight can be seen between the border glass and the inner glass with a gap of up to 4mm. The top section overlapping lead no longer sits over the top of the lower panel as it has been pushed out behind. The lower panel is being pulled part and there are broken painted and fired pieces of glass and again daylight can be seen. The third panel from the top is in a poor state, pieces of glass are hanging loose. The bottom section is also very loose and buckled. There appears to be very little leaded light cement between the glass and the lead which has allowed some water ingress.

Centre stained glass window.

This window comprises five sections with 10 saddle bars in a wooden frame approx. overall size 0.97m x 3.65m. The top arch section has come away from the rebate around the head and daylight can be seen between the lead and the glass. The panel below it is loose and the movement has caused a metal saddle bar to break. The third panel is also loose, daylight can again be seen and the lead bars are splitting and failing. This panel is again not sitting on the overlap lead; it is riding over the panel below. The two panels below are weak and the leads which give the window its strength are breaking.

Right stained glass window.

The stained glass window comprises four sections with 10 saddle bars. The approx. overall size is 0.97m x 3.3m. Some of the glass is hanging out and the top of the window is loose and appears to have dropped and some of the glass has shattered. The middle sections are in a poor condition. There have been some poor quality repairs carried out in the past and the painting and firing was inferior to the original and needs replacing. The bottom panel is buckling under pressure of the movement and the glass is popping out of the leads. Daylight can be seen in various area.