By Alison Bailey
Many of you will have been opening Christmas cards over the last few days and it is likely that many will have featured scenes from the Nativity. These may be reproductions of stained-glass windows or paintings by Pre-Raphaelite artists such as Edward Burne-Jones.
At a recent concert in the church in Old Amersham, I counted four stained glass windows of the Nativity, which would all make lovely Christmas cards. Perhaps this is not surprising as the church is dedicated to St Mary. However, this is not always the case. St Mary’s Chesham does not have a window depicting the Nativity, although one does represent the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:22-40), another popular scene in the Amersham church.
The Stained-Glass in St Mary’s Amersham
Apart from one window, which dates from around 1630, the stained-glass windows in St Mary’s Amersham date from the 19th and early 20th Century. Most were installed as memorials to members of the Tyrwhitt-Drake family, the local landowners and lords of the manor since Sir William Drake inherited the Amersham estates in 1626. A later Squire Drake, another William, donated the East Window, attributed to the artist Abraham van Linge, in 1760. This window, representing the Twelve Apostles, was inherited by the Drakes from the Garrard Family and had originally stood in the chapel of Lamer House at Wheathampstead, Herts.
Adoration of the Shepherds (Luke 2:8-20)
The earliest window in the church depicting a scene from the Nativity, dates from 1864 and is on the south wall of the south transept. This is by the successful London partnership of Ward & Hughes, (Thomas Ward and Henry Hughes) known for their skilful painting.
The three lights depict the raising of Lazarus on the left, Christ walking on the water on the right with the Adoration of the Shepherds in the middle.
The window is dedicated to Louisa Jane Tyrwhitt-Drake (1831-1862) and her brother George Arthur Tyrwhitt-Drake (1832-1964). Both died in their 30s but only Louisa is buried in Amersham. George drowned off Madras, whilst serving in the British Navy. Their father, Reverand George Tyrwhitt-Drake was the youngest brother of Squire Thomas Tyrwhitt-Drake and Reverand John Tyrwhitt-Drake, the then vicar of Amersham.
Adoration of the Magi (Matthew 2:1-12)
Around 1870 the large West Window was installed by the architect and glass maker Frederick Preedy. He is thought to be the only architect of his time who also both designed and made stained-glass windows. His legacy includes windows in the cathedrals of Worcester, Gloucester, Lincoln and Ely Cathedral as well as numerous parish churches. The six lights depict the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Adoration of the Magi (centre top), the Presentation, Jesus with the doctors in the Temple and the Baptism of Christ. In addition to the Magi, this Nativity also depicts a rather fine camel.
The Stable (Luke 2:6-7)
In 1905, the Tyrwhitt-Drake family commissioned another window, this time from the London and Lancaster based firm of Shrigley and Hunt. This delightful window features two lights depicting the Annunciation, with the Angel Gabriel on the left and the Virgin Mary on the right. Smaller representations of the Nativity and the Presentation are at the bottom of the lights. In this Nativity, baby Jesus is lying in the manger with Joseph and Mary, in a golden dress, watched by a donkey and an ox. It is dedicated to Mary Caroline Tyrwhitt-Drake (1833-1903) and her brother Thomas Henry Tyrwhitt-Drake (1841-1903), two of the nine children of the Reverand John Tyrwhitt-Drake and his second wife, Emily Drake Garrard. The earlier, 1864 window was dedicated to their niece and nephew.
Neither Mary nor Thomas had married and had lived together at Little Shardeloes. Mary had died in the January, age 70, after devoting her life to local charitable works. She took a deep interest in St Mary’s Church, where she was superintendent of the Sunday School.
Captain Tyrwhitt-Drake, who was 62 when he died in November 1903, was portrayed as a more colourful character. His death “cast a gloom over the whole of Amersham”, according to the local paper. A former captain in the 5th Bengal Cavalry, he retired from the army after being wounded in northwest India. He ran the family farms and became a magistrate, the first chair of Amersham Rural District Council, manager of the Amersham National Schools, a governor at the Grammar School and a churchwarden. However most remembered him as a keen sportsman. He was involved in Amersham’s football and cricket clubs, and even left them both £100 (more than £12,000 today) in his will. Like most Drakes, he was passionate about foxhunting and was Master of the Old Berkeley West Hunt, depicted in the large oil painting, which he bequeathed to the council.
The Madonna and Child
The final Nativity window in St Mary’s is the 1908 five light window in the north wall of St Catherine’s Chapel by the prolific studio of CE Kempe & Co. The left-hand corner of window features the wheatsheaf of Charles Eamer Kempe and the tower of his nephew, Walter Tower. The central light depicts the Madonna and Child, attended by angels with peacock feather wings. The two lights on the left represent the Adoration of the Magi and the two lights on the right represent the Presentation in the Temple.
The money for this window, however, did not come from the Drakes. Instead, it was commissioned by the aspirational Charlotte Weller and is dedicated to her husband William (1840-1908). William had inherited a third share of the family brewery in 1859 but described himself as a ‘sleeping partner’. He preferred to leave the work to his younger brothers, Edward and George and apparently enjoyed the life of the idle rich! With many thanks to Carole Taylor for these wonderful photos.