The Christian Story Windows

The Christian Story Windows

In the south wall of the South Transept are three windows which in a simple way tell the the story of Jesus from his birth to his resurrection. These windows were created by a company called Tower & Co.Charles Kemp was responsible for two of the three windows. The other, the Epiphany window, was made by one of his relations, Walter Ernest Tower. 

1. The Epiphany Window (Jesus' is born and the Magi, wise men visit with gifts)


This window shows the visit of the three Wise Men to the Jesus, the Christ Child, opening their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Jesus sits on his Mother Mary’s knee. Behind them stands Joseph, with staff and lantern, and in the background there is a camel-driver and  a camel. In the bottom left hand corner is the Tower trade-mark and the  Kempe wheat sheaf. The signature of the people who made the window.  The window is a memorial to Helena Frances Perowne, the wife of the first Bishop of Bradford. It was installed in 1924.

2. The Crucifixion Window (Jesus's death on the cross)

This window unfolds the whole story of the Crucifixion. Christ is central, and surrounded by a crowd of people including his Mother and John, Jesus's most loved disciple (to the left hand side), Mary Magdalene, (central), and onlookers and jeerers, laughing and calling Jesus names, can be seen to the right. The Roman Centurion is shown making his statement: ‘Truly this man was the Son of God’; whilst in the right hand corner, others play games for his clothes, regardless. Symbols of the crucifixion story are above and below the main picture. Kempe’s wheat sheaf trademark can be seen in the bottom left corner. This window was inserted c.1900 as a Memorial to Sir John Cass who died 18 May 1898, aged 65.

3. The Resurrection Window (the empty tomb, angels and women - Jesus has 'risen', he is alive)

The Resurrection window shows three women arriving at the tomb at daybreak, to be told by angels that he is no longer there; he has risen from the dead. In the back ground can be seen a fence with a small open gate, and footprints leading through it, to Jerusalem beyond. The window was inserted in 1906 as the Herbert William Maude Memorial window, William died on the 3rd Aug 1896, aged just 21. Again, the Kempe trademark can be seen in the window.

Reference:
Stained and Decorative Glass by Elizabeth Morris, published 1990.