Guilsborough Chancel Windows 1878

The south wall of the chancel contains four lancet windows that are dedictated to Countess Adelaide Spencer (1825-77) the Great-great-grandmother of Diana Spencer. They were designed by Edward Burne-Jones whose account book for December 1878 has the entry "More Jews vis Guilsborough ..... £40".

The windows contain representations of Rachel and Jacob, and Lazarus and his sister Mary of Magdalene. Below the figures are plan quarry tiles, and at the bottom is the dedication to Adelaide Spencer.

The image of Rachel is that of a women in a green skirt, white top and underskirt, and with a green cloth around her waist. She has an orange nimbus, and is wearing a white skullcap covering her blond hair. She carries two jugs, one of which is balanced on her shoulder, this probably refers to when Jacob first met she was giving water to her lamb. The inscription reads

abstilut deus ap / probrium meum

or "God has taken away my shame" (Gen 30:23).

The image of Jacob is a blond man, with a purple nimbus, leaning on a green stick which he holds in both hands. He wears a golden yellow cap, and is dressed in a golden red robe and red cloak. In contrast to Rachel who is barefoot, he wears sandals, and has a knife and bottle hanging from his belt. The inscription reads:

levis tribulatio noster / momentaneus est praesenti

or "For our light tribulations, which is but for a moment" (2 Cor 4:17).

The other two lancets in the south chancel wall contain images of Lazarus and his sister Mary.