Divine Light: An Illuminated Journey

Whenever I take on a project, it’s never just about the photographs. The road there, the nights spent close to the sites, the chance encounters along the way — they all become part of the story. With this project, the journey itself shone just as brightly as the glass I went to capture.

Tewkesbury

On my way down to photograph the stained glass at Exeter I stopped over at Tewkesbury - arriving on a beautiful spring day.

I wanted to go and see the Denny glass, but before that I walked a loop up the High Street and back down beside the River Severn.

Inside the Abbey

The Denny Glass

More on my visit to photograph Tom Denny:

Sketching the Side Aisle

Exeter

At Exeter, my task was to photograph some glass in the new cloister as well as photograph conservation works for Clews Architects.

I was lucky enough to bag the best parking spot outside Exeter Cathedral - what a view!

Whilst waiting for twilight I managed to take a walk around the buildings near to the Close at the cathedral.

Chester

Chester was next and I arrived very early to try and capture the cathedral at first light.

But the journey on foot to the cathedral was extremely illuminating...

Wakefield Cathedral

At Wakefield, I had to wait for the light to shift obliquely to the glass, reducing the impact of the exterior grille shadows on the stained glass I was photographing. To fill the time, I sketched the wonderfully atmospheric St Mark’s Chapel. I was in a John Piper kind of mood…

Also at Wakefield, I was particularly taken by a lovely carving of an owl on the choir stalls:

Durham

From Wakefield I headed north to photograph Newcastle Cathedral and lodged at Durham. Visited the Victoria Inn - with an original Victorian interior (fires roaring). Managed to capture a quick sketch using my Art Graf.

Newcastle

At Newcastle, whilst photographing the exterior, I was struck by an overwhelming sense of being watched. Turns out the perpetrator was a vampire rabbit.

Photographing the glass at Newcastle Cathedral

I found a lovely coffee shop in Newcastle at No 1 Queen Street.

Hexham

From Newcastle to Carlisle Cathedral - but a stop off at Hexham Market for supplies.

Carlisle Cathedral.

My task at Carlisle was to photograph the window at the east end. To get some close up shots, I was taken up into the clerestory. So lucky to be able to get up into the clerestory to hover next to the east window with the angels.

Shrewsbury

Travelling down to Lichfield Cathedral I took coffee at Ginger & Co in Shrewsbury - limited palette of earth colours for this sketch.

Warwick.

I also dropped into St. Mary's Warwick to pick up a book on The Beauchamp Chapel which has my photos inside. Quick sketch of the tower at St. Mary's (which has been shrouded in scaffolding for such a long time.)

Lichfield.

I always try and get into a place that I'm photographing extra early and take a walk around the locale. Lichfield was no exception and it paid off.

I’ve visited Lichfield cathedral many times and every time I see something new. This time, thanks to Janet Gough - I’ve been able to bathe in the soft light of the remarkably rare C16th Herkenrode glass.

On my way out I was stoppered by a lovely buff Italianate building. Whilst I was sketching a bird left a message from above on the page. Not sure if that is good luck? Really enjoying working with the Art Graf limited palette.

Before leaving, I visited the Angel pub in Lichfield which is a rare survivor of the parlour pub. Used the Art Graf again to capture the interior.

Birmingham Cathedral.

Birmingham was tricky - the bin strike in full force - parking for a 2.5m van is very difficult to find. I used JustPark to find a place over at the University - but, upon arriving there was a height restriction. Luckily, the security guard let me in and gave me his tel number so that I could contact him when I needed to leave. The kindness of people.

I think this is my favourite glass out of all the places I visited. I think this particular Burne-Jones' window is special because it is meant to be viewed from beneath looking upwards. In this way it immerses you in the drama of hope and loss. The onlooker becomes a part of the story.

The immersive experience of the Burne Jones' glass at Birmingham reminded me of the porch at Malmesbury:

I was also taken by some of the door handles (representing the Apostles) at Birmingham Cathedral.

Just across the way from the cathedral is a lovely coffee shop called Damascena - highly recommended.

Henley

I lodged over at Henley on Thames on my way over for photography of St. George's Windsor.

I took a lovely walk along the river and wrote about it in a recent digest here:

In the morning I lost my croissant to a Kite. My words to the WhatsApp group:

Just lost my croissant to a Kite. Sat on the steps of Henley Town Hall, just about to take a bite and then swoosh! It came from behind me and then arced around to the morsel and lifted it from my fingers. I took a bite out of thin air. The energy of it, the updraft, the press of feathers along my hand felt like a blessing more than daylight robbery.

Replenished with a new croissant I sought cover in the church yard where I sat and sketched the almshouses there.

Whilst sketching I noticed lots of people visiting Dusty Springfield's grave.

St. George's Windsor.

I'm not able to share the photographs of the interior at St. George's Chapel in Windsor - but Janet will, through her book, when it is published. It is quite remarkable.

There was a moment when I was stood with tripod and camera lining up a shot in St. George’s and I just happened to catch the wording on a slab on the floor beneath me. I was stood above the vault that holds Henry VIII, Jane Seymour and Charles I. Such a rich tapestry of history.