A window onto medieval crafts: illuminating glazing in England between AD 1100-1600

The 12th-16th centuries was a period of rapid change for crafts in England, influenced by the exchange of ideas, materials and people with continental Europe. Glass was imported to England throughout the 1st millennium AD, but a nascent English glass industry was established by the 13th century. The period 1100-1600 AD is key to understanding its development, by considering glazed architecture against the background of the Black Death, Reformation, and Dissolution of the Monasteries.

This project will examine the nature of this new industry and the degree of its impact on glazing in Britain.

Glazing was relatively scarce in England in this period and rarely survives in situ. Our understanding can be greatly enhanced by material from archaeological excavation. The Historic England archives include significant unpublished assemblages from Windsor Castle (Round Tower) and Alcester Abbey, with further material held by English Heritage and regional repositories.

This project will result in an accessible record and interpretation of window glass from these archives. The results will be compared with previous HE projects characterising the glass from contemporary English glasshouses, so that English glass can be identified, illuminating the fluctuating fortunes of the English glass industry in different regions relative to its continental counterparts.

The aims include:

a) Characterising, recording, interpreting and publishing the unpublished glass from significant sites, including (but not limited to) Windsor Castle (Round Tower) and Alcester Abbey, encompassing decoration, chemical composition, state of conservation, archaeological context and historical background.

b) Evaluating the results in the context of concurrent work by HE and the University of Sheffield on English glassmaking, to better understand the role of English glass in the glazing craft.

c) Investigating novel methods for imaging decorated window glass and making the data accessible for documentation and monitoring. d) Using a variety of methods to engage with audiences about the project findings.

The student will have flexibility to develop the project in multiple directions, making use of the cross disciplinary expertise available at HE and the University of Sheffield. Example research questions include: a) What proportion of windows were made in England, and in which regions? b) How does the pattern of supply change overtime?

c) What factors influence the glazier's choice of where to obtain glass?

d) What imaging methods are available to better capture the decoration on degraded medieval glass and monitor changes? How can the images be archived and made accessible?

e) What methods can be used to display and communicate the results, both chemical and pictorial, to effectively engage with varied audiences?

The student will consider creative ways of engaging stakeholders, the academic community and the public, using a variety of media and teaching collections. Outcomes may include: a) An accessible record, archive and teaching collection, based on these assemblages. b) Understanding of the glazing schemes employed, their interpretation and how they were created.

c) An assessment of the feasibility of identifying, dating and assessing the state of conservation of English medieval window glass, using chemical analysis and microscopic techniques. d) An evaluation of imaging methods for degraded glass.

e) Better understanding of the role of the English glass industry in the glazing craft, and how and why this changes over time. f) Engagement with a variety of audiences and training of a well-rounded heritage practitioner.