This stained glass window, titled “The Baptism of Christ”, was created by John Hayward and is located in Dunstable Priory. The scene depicts John the Baptist on the left and Jesus Christ on the right, standing together in the River Jordan. Above them, a dove descends, representing the Holy Spirit, symbolizing the divine presence at the moment of Christ’s baptism as described in the Gospels. Surrounding motifs of water, foliage, and light reinforce the themes of renewal, purity, and spiritual transformation.

Designed by John Hayward (1929–2007), one of Britain’s foremost post-war stained glass artists, this window exemplifies his distinctive blend of traditional Christian imagery with modernist design principles. Hayward, trained at the Royal College of Art, became known for his use of bold geometric forms, luminous color contrasts, and expressive simplicity to convey theological depth within a contemporary aesthetic. In this work, his careful arrangement of angular lines and radiant tones imbues the sacred scene with a sense of both spiritual clarity and dynamic movement, making it a fine example of mid-20th-century ecclesiastical art.