Scenes from the Old and New Testaments

Photo © Martin Crampin larger image

1856 Five-light window. The principal images are from the New Testament, the Adoration of the shepherds, the Baptism of Christ, the Crucifixion, the women at the tomb and the Ascension. Each scene has an Old Testament type below: Adam and Eve leaving Eden, the sacrifice of Noah after the flood, raising the serpent in the wilderness, Jonah and the whale and the ascension of Elijah. technique: stained glass Manufacturer: William Wailes Church of St Mary, Tenby, Pembrokeshire east wall of the chancel Two further windows were made for the church by Wailes in 1859-60, but these were removed during the late 1950s or 60s. One of these was a memorial to the late Rev J.H. Humphreys, L.L.D., who had been the rector of Tenby. It was placed opposite the medieval tombs of John and Thomas White, and was given by his friends, (Pembrokeshire Herald and General Advertiser, 23 December 1859).  (ObjectID=75 ImageID=573) Original File Name=Tenby_DSC7691A.jpg

This artwork is indexed under the following main subject(s):
for other works containing these subjects please click on the links.

• adoration of the Christ-child by the shepherds; Mary and Joseph present  [Luke 2:16]
• after a three-day sojourn in the belly of the monster Jonah is cast on dry land  [Jonah 2:10]
• baptism of Christ in the river Jordan: John the Baptist pouring out water on Christ's head: the Holy Ghost descends  [Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22; John 1:29-34]
• Christ ascends into heaven; apostles (and Mary) beneath  [Acts 1:9-11; Luke 24:50-51]
• Crucified Christ with Mary and John on either side of the cross; Holy Rood  [John 19:25-27]
• expulsion of Adam and Eve from paradise  [Genesis 3:22-24]
• Noah's sacrifice; various animals are offered, possibly a lamb, a dove and a ram (often combined with the rainbow of the covenant)  [Genesis 8:20-22]
• the ascension of Elijah: a chariot, horses of fire and a whirlwind appear and Elijah is carried up into heaven; Elijah's cloak falls (or he hands it over to Elisha)  [2 Kings 2:1-18]
• the brazen serpent  [Numbers 21:4-9]
• the empty tomb: angel(s) addressing the holy women - Resurrection of Christ  [Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:4-8; Matthew 28:2-7]

Ronald Torbet, The Wonderful Windows of William Wailes (Lancaster: Scotforth Books, 2003), pp. 128, 144.

Martin Crampin, Stained Glass at the Church of St Mary the Virgin, Tenby (Aberystwyth: Sulien, 2014), p. 6.

Martin Crampin, Stained Glass from Welsh Churches (Talybont: Y Lolfa, 2014), p. 94.

Thomas Lloyd, Julian Orbach and Robert Scourfield, The Buildings of Wales: Pembrokeshire (New Haven/London: Yale University Press, 2004), p. 471.

Painton Cowen, A Guide to Stained Glass in Britain (London: Michael Joseph, 1985), p. 223.

Photo © Martin Crampin