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Search forLong-lost medieval glass returns to a Cotswold church
Tuesday, July 15, 2008, 08:00
Three priceless pieces were lost, discovered and rescued before they being reinstated at St Mary's, Meysey Hampton.
Church officials fought to get two of them back when they finally surfaced at the JP Getty Museum in Los Angeles.
Gleaming proudly and restored to its former glory, all the glass is back in a new east window in the chancel of the 1269 church, thought to have been built by the Knights Templar.
Diocesan registrar and solicitor Chris Peak helped to gain the triumphant return of the artefacts.
The stained glass had languished in a cardboard box in the vestry since the 1960s.
Then it disappeared and was thought to have resurfaced in Fairford before it vanished.
It was thought to have been handled by a stained glass artist in 1991 and restored.
Mr Peak said: “Then a catalogue was issued by a company in London's West End in 2004.
“It included a piece of Medieval stained glass, The Good or Penitent Thief, described as being one of the small group of remaining 14th century fragments from the church of Meysey Hampton. It was commissioned between 1340 and 1350.
“Two other fragments were listed, Three Figures From The Crucifixion and The Crucified Christ, as 'acquired by the J Paul Getty Museum in 2003'.
“Someone from the Council For The Care of Churches in London reported this to the Gloucester Diocese.”
Mr Peak then started to negotiate with solicitors for the treasures' return.
“After quite a lot of hassle we managed to get them back,” he said.
“The solicitors turned around and said it was going to be returned.
“It was a bit of a coup because apparently you never get anything back from the Getty Museum.
“We were stunned within the diocese, not only did we get those fragments back but The Good Thief as well. I feel proud that I was able to help.”
Once returned, the trio was temporarily looked after by the district council-run Corinium Museum at Cirencester.
Then a local benefactor gave the funds for them to be reinstated in the church.
They were re-dedicated and incorporated in a window with two other remaining fragments, a hand in blessing and the figure of St Mathias.
Meysey Hampton parish council vice-chairman, Margaret Pursch, said: “It's a miracle we've got them back.
“The stained glass pieces have made what was once a plain glass window something really special.”
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