Details

Object type

stained glass heraldic panel

Title

Shield of St John quartering Bagot impaling Combemartin

Place Associated

England (place of manufacture); Northamptonshire, Fawsley Hall (place of use)

Date

circa 1510-1530

Materials

coloured glass, lead

Dimensions

overall: 696 mm x 635 mm x 10 mm

Description

Stained glass heraldic panel with the hour-glass shaped shield of St. John (gules two bars argent a canton ermine) quartering Bagot (argent a chevron gules between three martlets sable) impaling Combemartin (gules a lion rampant vair). This shield represents the maternal ancestors of Jane Skenard (d.1539), wife of Sir Richard Knightley of Fawsley Hall (d. 1534). Possibly representing the marriage of William de St John (d.1331) and Isobel Combemartin (d. 1401), maternal great-great-grandparents of Jane Skenard. Jane was a notable Northamptonshire heiress, and her family was emphasized in the heraldic stained glass series at Fawsley Hall.

This is one of a series of 39 panels from Fawsley Hall purchased by Sir William Burrell in 1950. A much sought after acquisition, Sir William pursued the series for over a decade.

The panels can seemingly be split into two large commissions with some later additions. The first commission, of which this forms part, were likely installed at Fawsley by Sir Richard Knightley and his wife Jane Skenard.

This first commission can be distinguished by the panels' distinctive hourglass-like shape. The indent in the upper left portion of the shield is representative of a jousting shield, or targe. An interesting stylistic choice this indent would have no doubt inflated the cost of the already expensive commission, requiring greater work by the glazier to accommodate the feature. Twenty-four of the panels in the series are presented in a similar format.

The alabaster tomb of Sir Richard and Jane Skenard resides at the church of St Mary the Virgin, Fawsley. The church is also home to selection of heraldic stained glass panels believed to have originated at Fawsley Hall.

Provenance: Ex Coll: Fawsley Hall. Acquired by Sir William Burrell via Grosvenor Thomas, 1950.

Published: William Wells, Stained and Painted Heraldic Glass, Burrell Collection, 1962, no. 133.

Linda Cannon, Stained Glass in the Burrell Collection, 1991, pp. 27-29.

Richard Marks, The Medieval Stained Glass of Northamptonshire: Corpus Vitrearum Medii Aevi: No.4 (Corpus Vitrearum Medii Aevi, Great Britain, Summary Catalogue), 1998, pp.64-71

Exhib. Cat. Gothic Art for England, V&A, 2003, pp.288-289.

Credit Line/Donor

Gifted by Sir William and Lady Burrell to the City of Glasgow, 1944

Collection

Burrell Collection: Stained Glass

ID Number

45.302

Location

In storage

Related People

William St John subject of