Two years after a Memorial was launched for the late Dean Jeremy Winston, inital work has begun on the East window of the Lewis Chapel in St Mary’s Priory Church.
Recently scaffolding went up on the exterior of the window frame that is to house the new Jesse Memorial Window in the Priory Church. The scaffolding allowed the Priory Architect to inspect the state of the stonework and the Window designer, Helen Whitaker, to make more detailed measurements.
The window chosen from a design long list of five will re-create the rest of the Tree of Jesse and will complement the Priory Church’s unique wooden Jesse Tree.
The Designer Helen Whittaker of Barley Studio has recently made two new stained glass windows for the east end of the Lady Chapel in Westminster Abbey, to full-size painted designs by Hughie O’Donoghue RA. The windows were part of the celebrations of the 60th Anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation in June 2013.
Three shortlisted artists were asked to produce a design for the window from which the Appeal could choose a designer. The Cottam Will Trustees,who have pledged significant support to this project, were represented on the selection panel by Roger Evans and Richard Halsey. Mr Evans said after the meeting that he was thrilled by the outcome and believed that the new window would make an exciting and lasting contribution to St Mary’s Priory Church and the wider community.
The present Vicar of St Mary’s Priory, Fr Mark Soady, “I am excited by the prospect of working with Helen to develop her ideas into a window which, with the agreement of all stakeholders, can become the most important contribution to church art for a number of generations”.
The window is in memory of Fr Jeremy Winston who died shortly after being appointed Dean of the cathedral, having served as Vicar of Abergavenny for 18 years. Those who wish to donate to the window can send cheques made payable to “St Mary’s Winston Appeal’ and send them to St Mary’s Priory, Monk Street, Abergavenny NP7 5ND.
