102 THE BUILDING CONSERVATION DIRECTORY 2025 CATHEDRAL COMMUNICATIONS mottoes of the person represented by their Arms: Dieu et mon droit for the sovereign, God is my help for Prince Philip, and J’espère for Culpeper. The ornament in the surrounding glass is based very loosely on elements of decoration elsewhere in the church. In contrast to the quite precisely depicted heraldic elements, the ornament on the diamond quarries is deliberately playful – our glass painters even used fingerpainting techniques to enhance their mark making. In the end, every one of The Cathedral Studios’ nine staff members was involved in the making and the installation of this window. Four different glass painters shared the painting and staining tasks: some concentrated on the heraldry, some on the decorative background, one on the staining, another on the lettering. THE RESULTS Measurements taken after installation greatly exceeded our expectations. They show that on a sunny day, the new glazing filters out 100 per cent of UV light (from 438 µW/lm down to 0 µW/lm) and reduces peak IR levels by 80 per cent (from over 36500 lux down to just over 7000 lux). The new stained glass was received very positively by clients and visitors to the church. With the window complete, the Culpeper and Chamberlayne effigies are now in a much improved environment and can look forward to undergoing conservation treatment by a paintings conservator soon. This would not have been possible if the environmental issues had not been successfully dealt with first. The new stained glass creates a wonderful warm glow in the Culpeper alcove. Where previously the two figures were blasted by harsh direct sunlight, they are now in their own space of soft lighting, making the alcove a safe haven for this colourful Tudor couple. LÉONIE SELIGER is the director of The Cathedral Studios, Canterbury Cathedral’s own stained glass conservation studio. An accredited conservator as well as stained glass artist, she has created windows for Westminster Abbey, the Royal Hospital Chelsea and many other places. All of the Cathedral Studio staff were involved in the creation and installation of the stained glass. The Culpeper arms are clearly shown on several stone monuments in the church. The foliate pattern that covers the Argent (white) parts of the Culpeper shields was partly inspired by Alexander Culpeper’s damask tabard. A typical Tudor window can be found in Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford.
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