Harpley

Feed my Lambs. 1930's window in Arts & Crafts Style.

Below a circa 1894 Arts & Craft style window, designed by WG Taylor, depicts “Christ in a Cornfield”

The tracery lights contain “extensively restored” canopies originally made in the first half of the fourteenth century. It is believed that originally the five main lights would have contained a full length figure in a rich tabernacle.

The tracery of this window contains 15th century glass. The central feature is an Annunciation scene, below which are the figures of the Royal English saints: St Edmund, holding his emblematic arrow, and Edward the Confessor. They are flanked by St James the Greater and St John the Evangelist, holding a chalice containing a serpent.

The kneeling figure in the apex of the window represents an unknown donor figure, whilst ecclesiastical saints in their church vestments are depicted in the outer arches. In descending order to the left are: St Ledger (deacon), St Vincent (deacon), St Lawrence (deacon) and St Wilfred (Archbishop). In descending order to the right are St Thomas of Canterbury (Archbishop), St Martin (Bishop), St Stephen (deacon) and St Blaise (bishop).

In the small panels below the transom are a series of the Orders of Angels.
There are ten angels from the three heirarchies, Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Dominations, Virtues, Powers, Pricipalities, Archangels and Angels. Some are holding symbols helping to indicate who they are but we cannot be sure.
All pictures are taken from originals © Mike Dixon.

In the late Middle Ages, there was a great reverence for angels and here at Harpley we have a rare representation of the very ancient Christian doctrine of The Nine Orders of Angels.

This has its origins in the Old Testament but was first defined and set down about the year 500 by the desert saint, Dionysius the Areopagite.

He classified angels into nine choirs, grouped into three hierarchies. First came the counsellors -seraphim, cherubim, thrones, whose role was to stand in perpetual adoration around the throne of God and receive His glory from Him.

Then came the governors of the stars and the elements - dominions, virtues and powers.

They receive divine illumination from the first hierarchy and communicate it to the Third power – but keep well away from mere mortals.

The job of being messengers to us falls to Principalities - Archangels (Gabriel, Michael and

Raphael) and Angels, who move between Earth and Heaven.


THRONES Blindfolded and holding scales. Though St Michael the Archangel can also be shown holding scales to weigh souls.	PRINCIPALITIES Depicted with a crown and carrying a Sceptre.	THRONES Thrones are often shown with a throne - is that a throne this angel is sitting on?	ARCHANGEL or POWERS Could this be St Michael the Archangel. The warrior angel with a spear?	CHERUBIMS Holding a book representing "the knowledge of God."

DOMINIONS Like Cherubims can aslo be shown holding a book.	ANGELS Shown holding a harp or lyre. Music to praise God.	VIRTUES This is one of the Virtues who normally are shown carrying a pyx or censer. Urine flasks were associated with the medical profession in the Middle Ages and this may indicate the powers of Angels to perform healing and miracles.	ANGELS The lowest order and God's messangers to man.	SERAPHIM These are 6 winged angels with 2 to cover their faces, 2 cover their feet and two to fly.

There are some very high definition pictures and more information on the windows on Norfolk Stained Glass's web site : http://www.norfolkstainedglass.co.uk/Harpley/home.shtm. click here.