The tale of Tattershall Holy Trinity Church's Stained Glass Windows Removal
The catherdralesque collegiate church in Tattershall once featured extensive stained glass. Much of it was removed and never replaced. Discover the story here.
LOCAL HISTORY
Located in the charming village of Tattershall, Lincolnshire, the Holy Trinity Church stands as a testament to the rich history and cultural heritage of the area. One of the most intriguing aspects of this historic church is the story behind the removal of its stained glass windows.
The stained glass windows of Tattershall Holy Trinity Church were renowned for their exquisite beauty and intricate designs. Crafted by skilled artisans during the 15th century, these windows depicted various biblical scenes and religious figures, making them an integral part of the church's identity and charm.
The original conception for the church was that all the windows should be filled with brightly coloured stained glass, and so they were until the 18th century, when a vicar suggested that the stained glass be removed and replaced with clear. By 1754 all the stained glass was gone. At this point there was a misunderstanding or dispute over how much the new, clear glass would cost, with the result that the chancel windows were left with no glass and other windows were bricked up. Today, some of the original stained glass can still be seen in the east window.
Infact, The Earl of Derby visited Tattershall and was much taken with the stained glass, and the lord of Tattershall was quite prepared to sell it to him.
The villagers were having none of that, and they refused to let 'their' glass be sold. They organized a protest for the day when the removal was scheduled to take place. The high-handed lord of the manor got wind of the protest and enlisted the aid of a neighbouring lord.
The men of the two lords came in the dead of the night and removed the glass without warning, so that the villagers awoke to find their church stripped bare. The Earl of Derby offered to replaced the stained glass with clear glass, and this was done in the nave.
As for the chancel, well, the steward of the lord of Tattershall was most adamant - that was the property of the lord and should not be touched. So the chancel was left without window glass for over a hundred years. As you might imagine, a great deal of damage resulted, and when the chancel finally did get its glass, it required a lot of work to repair the damage of a century's worth of wind and rain.