GLAZIERS YARD • LOVERS WALK
WELLS • SOMERSET • BA5 2QL
The Lightbox: Stained Glass Rose Windows.
General:
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The windows are good quality painted and stained work, almost certainly produced by
the Clayton & Bell Company, London; dating from about 1880. They depict Shakespeare
plays in 10 radiating panels around a central occulus. The inscriptions in these central
panels of each window have inscriptions: ‘Tragedy’ and ‘Comedy.’
The painted detail is well fired and in excellent condition. There are some damaged
sections with cracked glass, however these are isolated.
The panels are leaded in ¼ and 5/16” round section leads which are in very good
condition. An exception is the central occulus from the ‘Tragedy’ window. It is likely this
was originally sited on the south side of a building, and that heat build-up was
responsible for the distortion of the leads.
The panels are held in steel frames into putty, which is in good condition. The frame
itself has some hammer welding at the joints. The perimeter band is formed of several
sections riveted together. The condition is good with joints intact and only slight
corrosion. It would be sensible to decorate the frame and putties.
Installation in the exhibition:
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A welded metal support armature will be manufactured by gallery staff in-house. The
rectangular frame should be floor mounted to transmit load to the floor, and formed so
that the rose windows are displayed independently at each end of the gallery, raised
above floor level by approximately 1 metre.
Holy Well Glass will provide 10m thickness LED light sheet complete with 12 volt
transformers and dimmer switches for each window and will man handle the windows
from a vehicle at ground level to the gallery space and install in the prepared support
frame.
Proposed works
Site Visit 1:
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There are 6 painted and fired pieces which are shattered and holed. Remove by carefully
opening leads and removing fragments to enable reproduction in kiln fired glass closely
matching original. New insertions to be clearly date marked.
 Remove central occulus from ‘Tragedy’ window as it is severely bowed. Re lead in
5/16”round section lead to closely match the original and cement in the traditional
manner.
Site Visit 2:
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Fix re leaded occulus back into the frame into metal casement putty.
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Carefully clean both sides of the glass with a 50:50 solution of acetone and de-ionized
water. Clean off scaling from migrating stained glass cement with scalpel where
required.
Carry out approximately 20 number in-situ repairs to cracked sections employing
silicone adhesive (Silcoset 153) or epoxy resin (Araldite 20:20) as applicable.
Decorate the metal frames and putties with undercoat and topcoat.
Carry to exhibition space and install.
I trust that this meets with your approval and look forward to your comments in due course.
Stephen Clare ACR for Holy Well Glass.