Cartoons Exhibition At St Aubin On The Hill
March 30, 2025
This exhibition displays cartoons (templates) of his three beautiful stained glass windows in St Aubin on the Hill. Part of a collection of items gifted to La Société Jersiaise by his widow in 1934, most of the cartoons have never been on public display before.
The Exhibition is from Tuesday 1st April until Sunday 6th April. Open between 10am - 4pm.
1. St Aubin on the Hill
On entering, the visitor will be struck by the size and beauty of the building. Built in the English Gothic style from 1892-4 in replacement of a smaller chapel located in the present day car park, the elegant pillars in the nave and the raised chancel and high altar are bathed in light from the high celestory windows, whilst the wealth of stained glass, particularly from the large windows at both ends of the church, clothe the interior in the richest of colours.
The church is celebrating its reopening after being closed for over 12 months whilst the roof was retiled, and will be holding a Service of Thanksgiving and Celebration on Sunday 6 April at 10.30am lead by the Dean and followed by a reception.
Interesting items relating to the church’s history together with a gallery of photographs documenting the progress of the successful retiling project will be on display. Note the photographs of HMS Rodney of Bismarck fame — its jackstaff now acts as the church’s flagpole.
2. The Marriage Feast at Cana (1900)
Dominating the west gable of the church on your right as you enter, this is the largest and perhaps most glorious of all Bosdet’s windows in the Island. A host of angels celebrate Christ’s first miracle changing water into wine at a marriage feast, thereby not only showing Jesus’ humane compassion for his earthly host, but also celebrating the glory of God’s creation to be enjoyed by us mortals, reflected in the words of the Benedicite borne aloft by the angels. The extraordinary range and richness of colour fills the nave on sunny days.
The vidimus (the original watercoloured sketch of the design) approved by the Ecclesiastical Court and four cartoons of the angels depicted below the main lights are displayed beneath the window, whilst an 11’ cartoon of each of the four main lights depicting the feast have been placed against pillars in the nave. Take the time to walk up the nave and turn back at each of these four cartoons to compare them with the stained glass.
3. “Christ Crowned with Thorns” (1897)
This imposing oil painting, at the foot of the chancel, was presented by Bosdet in 1897 to the original St.Saviour’s Church at Sunbury-on-Thames, perhaps with a view to obtaining a commission for a stained glass window. We believe that Bosdet was a parishioner as he lived at the time nearby. The painting was subsequently placed in a storeroom in the new church where it became badly affected by damp, bird droppings and dirt.
Jersey Heritage did not have the funds available to restore it and so it approached our Trust to do so. The Glass Rainbow Trust paid for the painting to be brought to Jersey, and in 2012 and 2013 raised the sum of £8,000 to restore the painting and to provide a new frame and easel. Local craftsmen Ruth Baier-Rolls carried out the restoration work and Andrew Garton, the making of the new frame and easel. The painting was formally unveiled and rededicated by the Dean at the Town Church in June 2013, and since then has regularly been displayed during Lent at churches of different denominations in the Island.
The painting depicts the scene in the praetorium after Christ’s trial by Pontius Pilate when he was mocked by Roman soldiers, as recounted in Ch.27 of St. Matthew’s Gospel — the Gospels of St.Mark and St.John refer to a purple not a scarlet robe. All the hallmarks of Bosdet’s work are here — the elegant composition and design, the vibrant colour, the beautifully observed figures and clothing, and attention to detail. But it is the expression on Christ’s face which strikes the onlooker. He appears to be carrying the sins of the world on his shoulders, and whilst one soldier guarding him looks uninterested, just another crucifixion, the other soldier looks uncomfortable and shamefaced.
4. The video documentary
Take the opportunity to sit for 10 minutes to view a documentary ‘Bosdet: the Man behind the Stained Glass Window,’ made in 2007 by Maya Hammarsal & Mark Jones, about Bosdet’s life and work. The documentary can also be viewed by a link on the Home page of our website glassrainbowtrust.org.je
5. St Helier and St Magloire (1907)
Situated at the top of the south aisle (to the right behind the video screen), this is the second of the three Bosdet windows installed in the church. Commissioned by the family in memory of the chatelaine of La Hague Manor, a fond remembrance of Anne Elizabeth Marrett’s character may be gained from an extract from her nephew’s autobiography on the information sheet.Her coat of arms decorates the top light.
A double window, St Helier on the left and St Magloire (otherwise known locally as St Mannelier) is on the right. St Helier is wearing a simple tunic (albeit in royal blue) with a hermit’s water gourd attached to his belt and holding a rod surmounted by a cross. His martyrdom is depicted beneath. St Magloire founded a chapel in St Saviour and is reputed to have died in the Island.
The vidimus approved by the Ecclesiastical Court and cartoons of the two subjects and of the Marrett coat of arms are on display.
6. St Peter and The Good Shepherd (1926)
Alongside in the south aisle, the third Bosdet window was commissioned in memory of Master Mariner, John Peter Hamon, and Anne Weary, his wife. Hence St Peter, a fisherman before becoming an apostle, is the chosen subject, with Jesus the Good Shepherd, occupying the accompanying window — the admonition by Jesus to Peter to “feed my sheep” is held up by an angel in the tri-lobed light above. Only the vidimus, which is displayed, was amongst the surviving cartoons bequeathed by Bosdet’s widow to La Société Jersiaise in 1934. Of the family which erected this window in remembrance of their parents, nothing is known at present.
7. The Burne-Jones window (1894)
On the opposite side of the church, above the altar of the Lady Chapel alongside the chancel, is the sole example of Sir Edward Burne-Jones’ stained glass in the Island. This small double window sets two tall angels within a vibrant foliage background designed in collaboration with John Dearle of William Morris’ glassworks at Merton Abbey, with two small scenes of the Annunciation and the Nativity beneath. The window was commissioned in January 1894 by Jurat W. Laurence de Gruchy in memory of his late wife Augusta. Please take a few minutes to read the article by Rosemary Hampton from La Société Jersiaise’s 1983 Bulletin about the commissioning and design of this unique work.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this the third public exhibition of Bosdet’s cartoons. Please sign your name in the Attendance Book at the entrance as you leave.
A generous grant from The Jersey Community Foundation supported by the Jersey Lottery enabled our Trust to commission Lisa Oxenden-Wray, of Baudains Art Conservation, to clean and restore the cartoons which were framed by Carlo Zen of Framing & Arts, New Street, and by Michael Bourne of Victoria Art Gallery, Victoria Street, for each of our three exhibitions at St Martin, St Mary and St Aubin on the Hill. Lisa Oldham of Jersey Heritage mounted the exhibits for framing for the last two exhibitions, and Neil Mahrer of Jersey Heritage was responsible for setting up and securing the exhibits. The members of The Glass Rainbow Trust conceived, organised and funded the realisation of the exhibitions.
We are most grateful to the church community at St Aubin and St Brelade for hosting, promoting and preparing for the event.
To all involved we offer our thanks.
