Christ Church Cathedral unveils first new stained glass in 130 years

John Reyntiens is the foremost stained glass artist of his generation. His many lauded past projects include the restoration of the glass in Big Ben’s clock dials and the creation of windows celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond and Platinum Jubilees. 

This project was made possible by a generous donation from the barrister Marilyn Kennedy-McGregor. Marilyn has dedicated the window to her late husband, Dr Edward Burn (1922–2019) – a D-Day veteran, barrister, and Official Student and Tutor in Law at Christ Church from 1955 until his retirement in 1990.

Admired and loved by many generations of Christ Church undergraduates, Teddy Burn was a towering figure in the history of Christ Church in the 20th century and the doyen of academic property lawyers. He held the Censorship from 1959 to 1964 and was Tutor for Admissions from 1972 to 1978. Among his many other achievements was the establishment of the Law Library (now named the Burn Law Library) in which a bronze bust of his head is displayed.

At the heart of Christ Church’s new window is a depiction of St Francis – patron saint of the environment and animals – who is displayed amid a rich and uplifting natural scene that both evokes Christ Church’s gardens and reminds us of our obligations to our planet. 

Reflecting on the role that the window will have in the history and future of Christ Church, our Dean, The Very Revd Professor Sarah Foot, said: 'I think what is most exciting about this is having an opportunity for this generation to stamp its mark on the building in a way that will last through time. This window reminds us of our responsibilities to care for creation – creation that God made and gave to us to enjoy, but also charged us to look after.'

We would like to express our deep gratitude to Marilyn for this exquisite gift and to take this opportunity to remember Teddy Burn in whose memory our new window was made.