Georgian Glass in East Yorkshire
The Turkey crest of the Strickland family in Boynton Church.
The Turkey crest of the Boynton family as painted by William Peckitt.
Saturday, 22nd July 2023
Last Saturday saw a welcome return of the GSEY coach trips. In rather variable weather we visited three East Yorkshire churches with painted glass by William Peckitt. Professor Sarah Brown explained that Peckitt, who was based in York, tried to revive the art of stained and painted glass in the eighteenth century. His work was to be found in many churches in the later eighteenth century and he was commissioned by Horace Walpole to provide windows for his Gothick house at Strawberry Hill. Peckitt’s work was not thought authentically gothic, in style or technique, by the Victorians and much of it was later removed. At Harpham, Peckitt recorded the heraldry of the St Quintin family whose mansion once stood in the village. David Neave showed us the highlights of the family monuments in the church, including mediaeval brasses and a sculpture by Joseph Wilton.
At Burton Agnes we saw Peckitt’s rendering of Sir Roger de Somervile and his wife Maud, along with the arms of the Somervile and Griffith families. The church again contains numerous monument, including some very significant mediaeval tombs and a wall monument by Henry Cheere.
At Boynton the Peckitt glass dates from the time of the major rebuilding by John Carr in the 1760s. The monuments here are to the Strickland family, whose turkey crest is seen painted on the window as well as carved in stone and wood. The often repeated claim that the Stricklands introduced the turkey to England is rather dubious.
We had a brief tour of the exterior of Boynton Hall itself before tea and cakes in the village hall. The day was held to have been a great success.
Sir Roger and Lady Maud de Somervile.
Arms of William St Quintin.
William and Charlotte St Quintin.
