Sower among Thorns on Good Ground, from the second Bible Window, c. 1180. Canterbury Cathedral.
The stained-glass windows of England’s cathedrals illuminate interior spaces, communicate religious, historical, and political messages, and – perhaps – offer us a glimpse of heaven.
Janet Gough, formerly Director of Cathedrals and Church Buildings for the Church of England, has invited the deans of all the Church of England's cathedrals, and Westminster Abbey and St George's Chapel in Windsor, to select at least one exceptional window. Her new book, Divine Light, tells the remarkable story of these much-loved works of art.
Join us for a fascinating ARTscapades talk featuring stained glass from every century over the past 900 years beginning with the windows installed at Canterbury Cathedral following the murder of Thomas Becket in 1170 and encompassing the Middle Ages, the Reformation, the hugely productive ‘long 19th century’, the Arts and Crafts movement, the creative commissions of the 20th century, and the innovative glass being commissioned by cathedrals today — as well as recent major conservation projects such as the Burne-Jones Pre-Raphaelite masterpieces in Birmingham Cathedral.
Importantly, Divine Light establishes the connections between the artistic beauty of stained glass, its effectiveness as a narrative medium, and the various technical developments that have shaped the work of practitioners over the centuries.
The book Divine Light: The Stained Glass of England’s Cathedrals by Janet Gough OBE (published October 2025) is available here.
This event will be recorded. Ticket holders are emailed a link to view the recording afterwards which is available for one month. Proceeds from ARTscapades ticket sales benefit museums, galleries and other arts-based organisations and projects.
This is an online event hosted on Zoom which can be watched live with Q&A, or on-demand for one month afterwards. You will receive your link to access the event in your email confirmation and the on-demand link after the event ends.