Former Burnley Grammar School unveils 'landmark' stained glass window

The Grade II listed building which has been carefully and completely restored, has now opened its 1873 Wing, complete with new stained glass window.

Burnley has been home to many significant achievements in technology and innovation, and so in order to properly celebrate this history, a set of stunning, unique stained glass windows have been installed in the Atrium at The Landmark.

Mark Crabtree OBE, the man behind the restoration of The Landmark, said: "To commemorate the opening of the 1873 Wing and The Great Hall, I commissioned this beautiful stained glass window to celebrate the achievements of Burnley's past, and how that has shaped our future.

"I wanted to commemorate Burnley's significant achievements and showcase our strengths, with a nod to the history of the building. It's a work of art, which makes the building look wonderful. The Landmark will continue to be a vibrant hub for entertainment, events and business, for future generations."

The stained glass windows have been hand-crafted by Padiham-based firm Pendle Stained Glass Ltd, in collaboration with freelance stained glass artist designer Deborah Lowe.

Headed up by Leon Conway, workshop manager at Pendle Stained Glass, the 12-month project, which included over 300-man hours, showcases a timeline of events in Burnley's past, present and future.

On the process, Conway said: "Firstly we talked to Mark his vision to commemorate the restoration of the building, and Burnley's rich history, then we got Deborah involved to look at the specific designs."

Deborah commented: "The design isn't just what the person wants, it's what the building needs. What style is the building, what lighting is it going to have, all these things inform the final decision."

"Mark wanted to celebrate the town, as well as representing the history of this particular building (the old Burnley Grammar School), so we went back a long way and tried to compartmentalise certain parts of Burnley in each window.

"Each window has roundels on it, this is a traditional stained glass motif which suits the building but with a modern twist, which fits in very well with the new ideas for the venue."

All five parts of the beautiful, backlit stained glass window focus on iconic moments and landmarks in Burnley.

Deborah added: "The creativity and talent that has come from the town is mind boggling."

From left to right, the early history of Burnley is first referenced, with the trial of the Pendle Witches followed by Towneley Hall, with a specific focus on Richard Towneley and his work and observations on the moons of Jupiter which went on to help make other scientific discoveries.

The focus then switches to a visual representation of how Burnley distributed its technology and products to the world, with the different roundels depicting the town's rivers and canals, as well as a ‘river map' showcasing the rivers Brun, Calder and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.

Rather fittingly, the centrepiece is built around the Coat of Arms of Burnley Grammar School, surrounded by Lancashire roses, as well as cotton and wheat to reference Burnley's great history as one of the country's foremost cotton spinning, weaving and loom manufacturing towns. Bulrushes represent the river Brun from which Burnley gets its name.

The fourth light in the series takes an even closer look at Burnley's success in the industrial revolution, from mining for fuel, to the weaving of cotton, the output of which made Burnley the cotton weaving capital of the world.

The final light shows elements of Burnley's present and future in world leading technology innovation. The centre roundel shows a representation of sound waves, while the top depicts aeroplanes and a jet engine. This is to celebrate Burnley as an important centre for significant developments in the aerospace and sound technology industries, amongst others.

The bottom roundel references Burnley FC and Turf Moor. Burnley was among the 12 founders of the Football League and has been an important part of the town's life since the 1880's and remains a focal point today.

The new stained glass windows will be an attraction for all those attending events and ceremonies in the 1873 Wing and The Great Hall, both of which are now open for bookings, see https://www.landmarkburnley.co.uk/book-a-tour/.

To learn more about The Landmark, visit their website https://www.landmarkburnley.co.uk/ and to check out some more of the amazing work completed by Pendle Stained Glass and Deborah Lowe, visit http://www.pendlestainedglass.co.uk/.