The Windows for the King project in Barnard Castle is reaching its culmination after two years’ fundraising and many more of research by the Northern Dales Richard III Group, as Kim Harding explains...
IN just one month, a spectacular array of etched glass windows will be installed in St Mary’s Parish Church, Barnard Castle, to commemorate the medieval king who invested the equivalent of millions in the church and the saints he wanted remembered in this ancient place of worship.
The Windows for the King project has been running for slightly more than two years and, remarkably, has raised the £40,000 required for the dazzling glass creation, designed by professional artist Rachel Phillips.
The project started when, in my role as chair of the local Northern Dales Richard III Group, I was researching the history and ownership of Amen Corner on the corner of Newgate as well as delving deeper into St Mary’s connections with the 15th century king.
I knew that “history” insisted Richard had not created a “collegiate church” in our town, but my research was proving the opposite – and that it was never meant to be in the castle but in a transformed St Mary’s: Richard literally took the roof off the entire building and made it wider, taller and brighter, and placed his and his brother’s portrait heads on the chancel arch to celebrate his new “mini-cathedral” of a dean and 12 priests.
As 2024 was the 550th anniversary of Richard’s lordship of Barnard Castle, the Northern Dales group teamed up with the church council to create a lasting memorial of Richard III’s College, launching a design competition and drawing up a detailed brief about the saints included in the college’s dedication.
The focus of the windows is Jesus and the Virgin Mary. They also highlight St Ninian of Galloway, Richard’s favourite saint, and St Margaret of Scotland who was his ancestor and related to the Baliols.
We included St Helen and St Catherine, two saints that had medieval chantries in Barney, and Richard’s boar badge that is so well-known around the town.
Fundraising across 2022 and 2023 included a medieval evening at Blagraves, raffles and quizzes, ceilidhs, an art exhibition and a gig by local band Los Capitanes among many other events.
The winning artist Rachel Phillips from Pembrokeshire, who has created glasswork for several renowned Welsh castles, has both designed and crafted the glass panels that will be installed in the archway above the interior porch in St Mary’s. Touches of colour, including gentian blue for Teesdale, and gold leaf will adorn the etched and engraved glass.
An official unveiling ceremony will take place on Wednesday, November 6, when Dr Fiona Hill, Chancellor of Durham University and former security advisor to the White House, will do the honours, alongside invited donors, members of the church, Northern Dales group, and a children’s choir from Green Lane CE Primary School.
The Bishop of Jarrow will be invited to consecrate (or bless) the windows at a date to be arranged.
l A talk on the windows project, entitled: The Idea, The Story, The Design, will be given by Kim Harding at 7pm on Monday, October 14, in St Mary’s Parish Hall, Newgate, Barnard Castle. The talk is open to all. Entry £3.
