Thursday 9 January 2014

Sailboats in stained glass

To Birdham to photograph the church for the Fishbourne parish magazine, prompted by Max of Bursledon Blog who noted the smart centre cockpit ketch in the modern east window.
There she is: Muscadine, sail number E3. Anybody know what it is? And was she owned by David Graham-Wood, who gave the window to the church to celebrate his period as Master of the Worshipful Company of Glaziers?
There's another boat in the window, a sloop flying a spinnaker, sail number K 6060.
They sail the waters of Birdham Pool (that's the yard at the back) with the South Downs and Chichester Cathedral rising majestically behind. The tracery at the top is filled with local birds.
The main theme is Christ calling James and John. Christ stands between the brothers in a small fishing boat, with their father Zebedee at the tiller.
The window was designed by Michael Farrar-Bell and installed in 1978.

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