Downe is close to Biggin Hill and all bar one of the church windows were destroyed in the war.
The East window by Evie Hone was described in yesterday’s post. Two other windows were made by Downe resident, Keith Coleborn (1909-2005). The Tree of Jesse was given by Mary Knox-Johnston in memory of her husband, David. The other window, Sanctuary, was given by Robin Knox-Johnston’s parents (Mary and David) to commemorate his safe return in 1969 after making the first solo circumnavigation of the world under sail without touching land on his ketch, Suhaili.
The newest window, 2023, was commissioned by former Conservative MP, Dame Marion Roe DBE in memory of her husband, James Kenneth Roe. It is by David Griffiths, and not the best example of his work. I suspect he was given a shopping list of subjects to include. He has fitted everything in but frankly it looks a bit of a dog’s dinner and is not improved by my poor photograph.
Across the top is the London Eye, the Houses of Parliament, a small Ukraine flag, the Guildhall and the Shard. Underneath are crests and badges of significance to the Roe family. The centre depicts Christ washing the feet of a disciple in the presence of the other disciples and Mary Magdalene. On the left the Virgin Mary ascends the stairs to the upper room carrying a basket of bread. This is a beautiful piece of work in vivid colours showing Christ’s humility. Its impact is diminished by the cluttered lights above and below. The lower part of the window, beneath a rainbow, shows Charles Darwin’s house, the church, the Roes’ house, a bus, a mounted equestrian, deer, a badger, a pheasant and a fox and other things I cannot identify.
In the early 1570s Venetian glassmaker, Jacob Verzelini, came to England and took over a glass factory in Aldgate. Queen Elizabeth I granted him a licence to make glass conditional upon him teaching his craft to Englishmen and not importing glass. Although his workshop burnt down in 1575 his business prospered and he bought Downe Court and a lot of land. He and his wife are buried in the church crypt and are commemorated by a bronze memorial originally above the crypt but now mounted on the church wall.
Although St Mary the Virgin dates from the 13th century it was, Pevsner opines, over-restored in 1879. “Two vertical breaks in the south wall suggest it had a history, now beyond recall.”
(To be continued)
Having got excited to play your excellent musical choice (Where Do You Do To {my lovely}) I was a little perplexed that the link in fact played I Am A Cathedral instead. However- always good to be reminded of a rarer song. And of course, more apt for the post’s narrative.
Wonderful to hear this!
“In memory of Robin Knox-Johnston” suggests he (I assume we are talking about the famous yachtsman) is dead while I thought he was alive aged 85 living in Putney…..
You are right. Mary K-J commissioned it in memory of her husband, David. I have corrected my mistake.
Perhaps, one day, we could hear again “where do you go to my lovely, when you’re alone in your bed”. Such a long time since I have heard that.