The New Murrey and Blue blog

In 2019 I wrote about the hopes for these new windows (see here https://murreyandblue.org/2019/07/12/a-drive-to-save-barnard-castle-church-windows-paid-for-by-richard-iii/ and here https://murreyandblue.org/2019/11/08/barnard-castles-historic-church-with-richard-iii-connections/). Now the windows have come to fruition, as I discovered when I came upon this link https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/24603934.dr-fiona-hill-unveil-new-windows-barnard-castle-church/.

In it I read: “….New windows designed by an award-winning artist are set to be installed above the porch doors of a Barnard Castle church….The artwork – created by Rachel Phillips – will be unveiled at St. Mary’s Parish Church [at 1.30pm] on November 6, as part of the church council’s ‘Windows for the King’ project…The council created a partnership with local history group The Northern Dales Richard III Group for the project, which oversaw the design competition and raised the £40,000 funds….” 

The funds for the windows were raised in honour of the 550th anniversary of Richard III becoming Lord of Barnard Castle. He invested a great deal of money into the church, meaning it to become  “….a collegiate church (with 12 priests) to serve the town and wider area….”

The ceremony will take place at 1.30pm on 6 November, with the Chancellor of Durham University and former White House Advisor Dr Fiona Hill unveiling the window. 

You can read more about the evolution of these windows here https://richardiii.net/windows-for-the-king/ here https://www.teesdalemercury.co.uk/news/work-starts-on-windows-for-the-king-after-appeal-success, here https://www.stmarysbarnardcastle.org.uk/windows-for-the-king/ and here https://www.teesdalemercury.co.uk/features/dazzling-pane-of-richard-iii

About St Mary’s Church here A PERIOD DEPICTION OF EDWARD IV & ELIZABETH WOODVILLE – murreyandblue

There is more about Richard’s white boars at Barnard Castle here https://murreyandblue.org/2021/06/27/the-boars-of-barnard-castle/ and here https://murreyandblue.org/2022/05/10/a-new-boar-painting-at-barnard-castle/.  

And if you visit Barnard Castle there is a phone app that will take you into the town’s past. See here Phone app will take Barnard Castle tourists into the past…. – murreyandblue.