Progress on the Chapel’s east window restoration
The historic stained glass of the Chapel’s east window has been removed and is now in York for specialist conservation, the latest phase in a multi-year programme to protect the Chapel’s glass for future generations.
The stained glass of the Lincoln’s Inn Chapel east window was carefully removed over a two-week period in August and has been taken to York, where conservators from the York Glaziers Trust (YGT) will clean and repair it as part of a major project funded by the Lincoln’s Inn Heritage Fund, a charity dedicated to the preservation of the Inn’s historic spaces.
A specialist team of conservators removed the glass panel by panel before transporting it to the YGT workshop. The work is phase three of a four-part programme to conserve the Chapel’s stained glass. Henry Skinner, Director of Estates, explained in the video below that the aim is “to protect the fragile stained glass from deterioration.”
The east window holds special significance for the Inn. It contains 220 individually crafted armorial panels recording the Inn’s Treasurers from 1680 to 1909, creating a remarkable visual record of more than two centuries of the Inn’s history and leadership. Among those represented are three Prime Ministers: William Pitt, Henry Addington and Spencer Perceval, as well as notable legal and political figures including Lord Brougham and Thomas Erskine.
The window has survived more than four centuries of history, including a Zeppelin bombing raid in 1915. However, the painted and enamelled glass is showing signs of deterioration due to age, environmental conditions and fluctuations in temperature and humidity. The current conservation is essential to save important historic detail and craftsmanship, which could otherwise be lost over time.
The restored glass is due to return to the Chapel and be reinstated in August 2027. When the window is back in place, visitors will notice two major changes. The glass will no longer sit behind the polycarbonate sheeting that has long obscured it, so its colours will be seen far more vividly than before. The ferramenta, the historic iron framework that supports the glass and was previously hidden behind the sheeting, will also be visible once more.
“No one alive at the moment will have seen the window in as good condition as it will be once these works are complete,” said Henry.
The project is estimated to cost around £220,000, reflecting the specialist conservation required to protect this unique historic window. As with any work on a historic building, however, there have been discoveries along the way. The Inn’s stonemasonry team found a mild steel plate embedded in one of the window’s transoms, which will need to be replaced next year. Separate investigative work is taking place alongside the glazing repairs to establish how that work will be carried out and what it may cost.
Help protect the Inn’s heritage
The restoration of the east window is one of many projects supported by the Lincoln’s Inn Heritage Fund, which helps preserve the Inn’s historic buildings and spaces for future generations. The Fund supports conservation work across the Chapel, Old Hall and Library. While the east window is a current priority, conservation needs across the Inn’s historic estate are ongoing.
Find out more about the Lincoln’s Inn Heritage Fund and the projects it supports.