Historic stained glass window restored at Melton church

Father Tom McGovern with church members Frances Levett, Ann Kirby and Sheila Sulley in front of the restored historic stained glass window at Melton's St John's Catholic Church EMN-200318-104403001

Members of St John’s Catholic church, in Thorpe End, have been admiring the feature, which cost £12,000 to renovate.

The work on the east window was carried out by Derek Hunt, a local stained glass artist.

Fundraising contributed more than £3,500 towards the £12,000 cost of the refurb and further events are planned to pay the remainder.

The restored and reinstalled historic stained glass window at Melton's St John's Catholic Church EMN-200318-104437001

Records show the window was manufactured by Thomas Willement, a noted stained glass artist, who was also appointed ‘artist in stained glass’ to Queen Victoria and exhibited at the Crystal Palace Exhibition in 1851.

Considered a fine example of Victorian neo-gothic stained glass, it is located behind the altar in the liturgical east side of the church.

Saint John the Baptist, whom the church is dedicated to, is pictured in the centre with his name inscribed in latin beneath.

The two other figures are the church’s main benefactors Father Thomas Tempest (to the left) and John Exton.

Curiously the window was glazed back-to-front when it was first installed.