John the Baptist - Great Malvern Priory
Submitted by walwynThis section of the fifteenth-century east window at Great Malvern Priory forms part of one of the finest ensembles of medieval stained glass in England. The three surviving lights depict, from left to right, the winged ox of St Luke, St John the Baptist, and St Wulstan, Bishop of Worcester. Though partly restored, the figures retain much of their original late medieval character and craftsmanship, displaying the refined linearity and restrained colour palette characteristic of the Perpendicular period.
At the centre, St John the Baptist stands robed in white, holding the lamb of God upon a small disc—a motif emblematic of his role as herald of Christ. His gentle expression and upright bearing convey calm authority, while the sinuous lead lines and delicate shading of the drapery demonstrate the sophistication of the glazing workshop active at Great Malvern in the mid-fifteenth century. To his right appears St Wulstan, vested as bishop, crozier in hand and mitre upon his head, representing the continuity of local ecclesiastical tradition; to the left, the winged ox, symbol of St Luke the Evangelist, crouches upon a patterned ground, its expressive head turned upward in watchful reverence.
The window exemplifies the theological coherence and artistic ambition of the Malvern glazing scheme, which united biblical narrative, local saints, and evangelist symbols into a harmonious vision of the Church triumphant. Despite later repair and loss, the surviving panels retain their elegance of line and delicacy of tone, offering a vivid glimpse into the devotional life and craftsmanship of fifteenth-century England.

