The Interesting History of Stained Glass Windows

You may think that stained glass windows have been around for along time from seeing them in historical buildings and monasteries. However,the history of stained glass spans longer than you might think. In fact, stained glass has been used for thousands of years to create pictures and tell stories. You might’ve even seen some of the oldest stained glass window designs for yourself! In this blog, we’ll guide you through the interesting, and maybe even surprising, history of stained glass windows so you can follow them through time.

The Beginning

The creation of stained glass starts long before you might’ve thought. It starts all the way back with the ancient Romans and Egyptians. The first man-made stained glass was believed to have been an early version of coloured glass beads. These glass beads can be traced all the way back to the ancient Egyptians in around 2700 BC! However, it was the Romans that really pioneered stained glass. They started creating stained glass panels that were initially designed for Roman Catholic churches, but after popularity grew these religious stained glass designs spread throughout Europe. The first stained glass windows in Britain can be traced back to the 7^th century with some early examples being found in churches and monasteries.

The Evolution of Stained Glass

Leaving the ancient Romans behind, the trend of stained glass carried on and proved to be extremely popular throughout Europe in the middle ages. Stained glass window designs reached their height in the 12^th century, with the 1150’s and 1500’s experiencing more stained glass windows being built for impressive cathedrals. The stained glass panels over this time evolved to become much larger and a lot more sophisticated. The stained glass windows were used all around Europe in churches to depict impressive portraits and narrative scenes for people to soak in their beauty.The manufacturers and materials for producing religious stained glass became more advanced and high-quality, allowing for more vibrant and intricate designs to be created. The oldest stained glass window in England still stands, and in its original place! Located in Canterbury Cathedral, the stained glass window is the oldest one in England and dates back to 1184.

The Revival

After becoming so popular in the 12^th century, the allure of stained glass was still there. However, during the Reformation, many stained glass panels weren’t protected from being smashed and destroyed, leading them to be replaced with plain glass. Many people forgot about the traditional method of making stained glass until it gained popularity again in the 19^th century. People began restoring stained glass windows and building new ones with their improved technology. Many new churches and cathedrals were built, and many old churches were restored to make way for all new religious stained glass windows. This rediscovery resulted in some of the stained glass techniques and styles that we still have today.

The Now

In more recent years, stained glass has still proven its popularity. In the 20th century there were developments of new stained glass techniques, especially in France. Designs moved away from being religious stained glass and started becoming more abstract but still with the same eye-catching colours that stained glass has had all the way since the start. Stained glass panels became not just for cathedrals but for homes too, with many homeowners adding or restoring stained glass for their homes. Today, people like us at Sherriff Stained Glass Specialists make sure that the history of stained glass lives on for many more years to come. We provide stained glass conservation and repairs to make sure stained glass windows stay as brilliant as the day they were built!

If you’d like to learn more about how Sherriff can help you restore your stained glass panels and windows, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us on 01202 882208 or send an email to info@leadwindows.co.uk. You can also find our other helpful tips and guides on our website!