Introduction
Chancel North Side West End
East End
North Side East End and South Side East End
South Side West End
The South Aisle
The Tower
The North Aisle West End
North Side West End
North Side East
It seems unlikely that any of the original windows of the church survive as the north side appears to have been extended in the twelfth century and the south side in the mid-nineteenth century whilst the west and east ends were rebuilt in the fifteenth century
Nevertheless, for a small church, Tingewick has some interesting and varied windows whose dates spread over more than eight hundred years
We even know a little about some of the lost windows as Browne Willis, the historian, wrote in 1755 “….here was formerly in a south window the portraiture of a priest kneeling, and under him this written "Johes Coke" and over St. Catherine with her wheel, and in a label from the priests mouth "Sancta Katherina” but this is broke"
Unfortunately, there seems to be no record of this Parson Coke having served at Tingewick. The tracery of the window was, however, described by Lipscombe in his county history of 1847
It was evidently a large Perpendicular window, one of a pair whose partner had been blocked up. Between the two was a square headed three-light window and above all two small clerestory lights. These latter were matched by a pair on the northside which may still survive under the later plaster
When the south wall was rebuilt in 1830 large Romanesque windows were installed to match the original Norman south doorway. These are shown in a contemporary engraving, but they were short lived as the south wall was demolished in 1851 when the Church was extended
Fragments of stained glass (presumably old) are recorded as having been in the east and south windows in the eighteenth century and early nineteenth century, but these have all disappeared and the only pictorial glass is now in the north-west and east windows of the chancel
These are described below, but it is worth noting that the north-west window was designed and made by the famous Arts and Crafts firm of William Morris and Co. of Westminster
Pevsner in his "Buildings of England, Buckinghamshire", says that there are no William Morris windows in the county. Possibly he overlooked this one, or decided not to include it as it is a late example from after Morris's death
The inventory below is not intended to be a technical and architectural description but rather a stimulus for interest and further research. The windows are described in clockwise order starting at the north side of the chancel arch
A square headed Perpendicular window of two lights with four small lights in the spandrels. This makes it more ornate than the other three side windows in the chancel, presumably because it was the one that the priest would face from his desk. After the Great War, it became the War Memorial window and was reglazed by William Morris and Co. of Westminster
The left-hand light shows St George kneeling for golden a blessing. He wears armour and a blue cloak. His sword is held handle uppermost in the form of a cross whilst his shield bearing his red cross lies in front of him
The right-hand light shows Christ wearing a white robe and cloak. On his head is a crown of thorns. He is barefooted hand and left hand and foot show the wounds received on the cross
He carries a crown which he appears to be offering to St George. Beneath this is the inscription running across both lights "Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life”
This is the most important window in the Church as it is the one which people face during services. It is a three light Perpendicular window with six small lights filling the spandrels. Its present glass seems to have been installed in 1893, as the inscription reads "to the glory of God. John Coker Rector 1893"
This was presumably a gift from him rather than a memorial to him as he did not die until July 31st 1901. Neither does it appear to commemorate the anniversary of his arrival in the Parish in 1855
The glass shows four figures in an outdoor setting. Each is framed by an ornate architectural canopy and base, but their feet are on grass and there are apple trees behind. On the left is the bearded figure of St Peter holding his keys in his left hand and a bound book in his right. On the right is a young man writing with a quill pen into an open book. This probably represents St. John
A low purple curtain decorated with oak leaves is behind each saint. Between them sits the Blessed Virgin Mary wearing a red gown and full blue cloak which is wrapped around her, which in places reveals its gold coloured lining
On her lap is the figure of Christ as a young child. He has a white cloth around him. Each of the adult figures has a ribbonlike label above them but nothing is written on it. The glass is signed "Swaine Bourne, Birmingham"
North Side East End and South Side East End:
These two windows are glazed with "cathedral glass" consisting of alternate panels of lightly tinted bluey green and amber with a red border running all round
That on the south side has a simple stone seat for altar servers
This has the same single square headed Perpendicular design as the previous two, but the glass is clear, giving more light for the priest to read by. The sill here is at a convenient height for the shelf - possibly for the priest's books
This was built in 1851 and has five windows of plain glass set in diapered lead
Those on the south side are of two lights whilst those to the east and west are of three lights each. The design is derived from the late Decorated Period of the Middle Ages, the architect was R.C.Hussey
Much of the glass and lead of these windows has had to be replaced recently
In the west end there is a two light fifteenth century window showing the transition in design from Decorated to Perpendicular. It has old plain glass which was reset in 1983
Below this there is an over-door window installed around the turn of the century to provide more light into the vestry. It was this window that was smashed in January 1990 when a forced entry was made. It has since been reglazed and reinforcing bars fitted
There are also two small stair tower windows and a larger one in the clockroom which has plain glass
The round headed window (for many years hidden behind the old organ) was broken in 1977 and repaired using "Tudor" vandal proof glazing which is ugly but effective
Most of the early stonework has been replaced but this is basically an early twelfth century window
The window here is formed in the upper part of the old north doorway. It has a single pointed arch and a deep sloping sill. The mid-nineteenth century glass is in tints of blues and green with an unusual border of yellow, green, blue, and white bullseyes set alternately between red rectangles. Strips of moulded glass with a raised nail head pattern run on either side of this border
In the centre of the window is a red disc with the initials "H" and "C" imposed on a large capital "B". Their significance is presently unknown
This is the oldest complete window in the church being a round-headed widely splayed Norman window of the early twelfth century. Its coloured glass was evidently installed at about the same time as that in the blocked north doorway as it incorporates many of the same elements though this time the border rectangles are blue
Three deeply moulded floral crosses have also been worked into the design, one of them in two halves
To the right are traces of another Norman window