Halesowen stained glass artist brings church window back to life
Colourful and decorative stained glass windows are one of the most beloved features of churches up and down the country.
Among the dedicated experts working to ensure they continue to look their best for generations to come is specialist Ester Naylor. For more than 20 years she has been bringing treasured windows back to life using traditional methods.
And she has just completed one of her biggest restoration projects to date – the east window at St Peter’s Church in Greets Green, West Bromwich.
For the past five and a half months, Ester, who lives in Halesowen, has been working alongside Alvechurch-based stonemasons Steve and Stuart Fear from R.N Fear & Sons. The window, which measures 6m by 4m, was originally made by artist Albert Lemmon, who trained at the Birmingham School of Art, and was fitted in 1930.
“It’s absolutely beautiful and it’s been a joy to be able to look at it up close and personal. When it was made it cost £300, you wouldn’t get anything like it for that price now,” says Ester, aged 49.
Following in the footsteps of her father, Tony, who has spent more than four decades in the industry, she began learning the craft at the age of nine and now runs her own business, Off The Wall Stained Glass.
The restoration project at St Peter’s has been a family affair as Tony, who worked for the well-known Birmingham stained-glass firm Hardman Studios before going self-employed in the 1970s, and her sister Lia have been lending a hand.
Although the glass panels were in a good condition for their age, the stone frame needed to be removed and rebuilt by Steve and Stuart after suffering damage caused by mining subsidence.
“The stone masons have been brilliant – their attention to detail is second to none. They’ve done an amazing job,” Ester tells Weekend.
A few of the panels also needed to be flattened after becoming warped due to the subsidence. To do this, Ester lays the panels flat and gently heats them from underneath, which helps them to settle back into their proper shape.
“All the window needed was a really good clean – there was almost a century of grime on it – and a few cracks making good. It was very well made because the lead is very strong. Normally the panels would need to be dismantled and re-leaded. I’m so glad we didn’t need to take it apart.”
Distilled water is mainly used to clean the glass and before the panels were re-fitted, they were cemented to give them strength and seal them.
“Parishioners at the time the window was made, wanted the Vicar, Fr Lamplugh, to be included in the window. He was well respected for his service to the community after the war when he spent much of his time visiting the families of those who had lost loved ones. Albert Lemmon did indeed include him,” says Ester. “It’s been a really lovely project and we’ve all worked really well together.
“My sister is a glass cleaning extraordinaire and I’m teaching her about restoration – she’s absolutely loving it,” she adds.
Among her other ongoing restoration projects is a window at St Modwen’s Church in Burton upon Trent. In 2019, she began restoring the Light of the World window from St Matthew’s Church, Walsall. Originally made in 1921 by Burlison and Grylls, it can be seen near the font in the nave.The restoration included dismantling the window, replacing lost glass with new painted pieces and putting it back together again with new lead.
Ester also makes bespoke windows for houses, schools and businesses, working with owners to bring them vision to life. Last year, she unveiled an eye-catching commission at De La Vie’s restaurant in Birmingham. She spent six months designing 17 window panels which represent Birmingham and the fibreglass bulls that once adorned the old Bull Ring.
“I’m doing quite a lot of commission for domestic properties at the moment. Customers will tell me their ideas and I will turn what they’ve said into a design. They are all bespoke as they are individual to the customers and what they want.
“I’m going to be working on a window for a house in Wolverhampton with rabbits so that will be a nice one and I’m also working on a window with abstract flowers for a garden in Bewdley,” Ester tells Weekend.
She enjoys knowing that she’s playing a part in keeping the ancient tradition alive, especially as there are fewer people taking up the craft.
“Stained glass is classed as an endangered craft, which is sad, because there is still so much interest in it. I think a lot of older people who have done it for years are retiring and there are no higher level courses for anyone who wants to learn. They need to know someone who they can train with so the skills can be passed on to future generations.”
But for Ester, the future is looking bright. “I’ve been so busy I’ve taken over the workshops at my Dad’s house. Dad keeps trying to retire, but he’s not having much luck!,” she tells Weekend.
