Given Grade II* Listing in 1954, the decommissioned church of St John the Evangelist was granted a new lease of life following a complete refurbishment and change of use.
The transformation came about as a result of some creative thinking on the part of the Governors of neighbouring Godolphin and Latymer School. They saw how this beautiful Victorian building had the potential to be converted into a state-of-the-art performance centre.
Selectaglaze was consulted by architects, Burrell, Foley and Fisher, to come up with treatments which would enhance the acoustic performance, whilst not detract from the beauty of these irreplaceable windows.
One particularly wonderful window is by the renowned Studio C.E Kempe & Co. Ltd. It depicts Jesus appearing to the startled apostles. Comprised of beautifully drawn faces and a carefully constructed composition with rich colours, offset with a horn-white background; this stained glass window is characteristic of Kempe’s style.
Wheatsheaf – denoting C.E Kemp & Co Ltd stained glass window
Kempe’s windows generally incorporated a wheatsheaf (which was taken from his family’s coat of arms). When the studio continued to create stained glass windows after his death in 1907, the characteristic wheatsheaf was surrounded in black.
Characteristic Kempe Wheatsheaf
Kempe’s designs are steeped in the tradition of English medieval stained glass. Kempe and an artist from his studio travelled throughout Europe to learn this art directly from medieval stained glass windows.
Interest in Kempe’s stained glass is being revived, due in part to the work of The Kempe Society, which for more than 20 years has produced The Wheatsheaf for its worldwide membership. According to Owen Chadwick writing on the art of stained glass, “The art attained its Victorian zenith, not with the aesthetic innovations of William Morris and Edward Burne-Jones, but in the Tractarian artist Charles Eamer Kempe”.
This window has been treated with three Series 46 curved fixed light units glazed in 6mm glass. The airgap between the primary and secondary, together with the disparity in glazing thickness has resulted in a window with high acoustic deadening properties. Great care has been taken to produce a treatment sympathetic to its surroundings. The powder coated frames were carefully matched, so they blended seamlessly into the surrounding walls.
Wheatsheaf – denoting C.E Kemp & Co Ltd stained glass window
Kempe’s windows generally incorporated a wheatsheaf (which was taken from his family’s coat of arms). When the studio continued to create stained glass windows after his death in 1907, the characteristic wheatsheaf was surrounded in black.
Characteristic Kempe Wheatsheaf
Kempe’s designs are steeped in the tradition of English medieval stained glass. Kempe and an artist from his studio travelled throughout Europe to learn this art directly from medieval stained glass windows.
Interest in Kempe’s stained glass is being revived, due in part to the work of The Kempe Society, which for more than 20 years has produced The Wheatsheaf for its worldwide membership. According to Owen Chadwick writing on the art of stained glass, “The art attained its Victorian zenith, not with the aesthetic innovations of William Morris and Edward Burne-Jones, but in the Tractarian artist Charles Eamer Kempe”.
This window has been treated with three Series 46 curved fixed light units glazed in 6mm glass. The airgap between the primary and secondary, together with the disparity in glazing thickness has resulted in a window with high acoustic deadening properties. Great care has been taken to produce a treatment sympathetic to its surroundings. The powder coated frames were carefully matched, so they blended seamlessly into the surrounding walls.- Date
- Category
- Treat Of The Month