Faith, Hope, and Charity - Litchborough Northamptonshire

This two-light stained-glass window, dating to 1850, was made by Ward & Hughes ⓘ for the church at Litchborough. It presents allegorical female figures representing the three theological virtues: Faith, Hope, and Charity.
The left-hand light contains two standing figures. Faith is shown holding a cross, the emblem of belief in Christ’s redemptive sacrifice. Beside her stands Hope, traditionally associated with steadfast expectation and spiritual trust; she appears calm and upward-looking, her gesture suggestive of reliance upon divine promise. The pairing reinforces the complementary nature of belief and confident expectation within Christian doctrine.
The right-hand light depicts Charity, portrayed as a mother nurturing two children, one held in her arms and another clinging to her robe. This maternal imagery, drawn from long-established iconographic tradition, expresses self-giving love and compassion — the highest of the virtues as described in St Paul’s ⓘ First Epistle to the Corinthians.
Architectural canopies frame each figure in a Gothic Revival idiom characteristic of mid-nineteenth-century ecclesiastical design. The clarity of symbolism and balanced composition reflect Ward & Hughes’ early Victorian style, combining doctrinal instruction with decorative refinement.