The Millennium Window - St Margaret’s Church Northam
I have always loved the way a stained-glass window can light up a church, even on the dullest day. Around the time of the Millennium, it was announced that as all the church windows were being repaired, the old lead being replaced, it would be a splendid opportunity to create a Millennium window.

The window at the East end of the North Aisle was chosen, rising behind the organ pipes with lovely tracery at the top. Suggestions were asked for. Being an artist with a love for churches I thought I would submit an idea. The organ pipes are strong and decorative, the design must follow their shape, so a sweep of colour seemed a good idea for the bottom of the design. The window faced East, I thought of the dawn of the new Millennium.

The idea, the colours spread across the window from that beginning. The light comes from the burning, rising sun, the blue at the top represents the final disappearing of the old year, with one last planet still shining in the tracery. The new century has arrived, rising over the curving hills and fields of Devon. In front the Christian symbol of the Cross stands strongly red against the backdrop of blues and greens, and the flaming colours of the sun.

The design was approved, the practical work began. Reg Lloyd was very helpful, he explained to me how, working with glass, the colours would bleed into each other but this effect was something that could be used. It was a bit like mixing paints. Robert Patterson, who made the window, helped me too, explaining how to draw out the design to scale, on lining paper, to enable him to cut the glass pieces with precision. I was so ignorant in the early stages of the construction process, but as I learnt how it was achieved it was exciting to see my A4 sketch grow into four 16 foot high windows created with such fine craftsmanship.

My admiration for the early craftsmen, the artists and glaziers, who created beautiful windows for Churches has grown, and I am so grateful to have had this opportunity to be part of that great tradition. And have also been delighted by people who have said how the window lights up a comer of the Church that had been dull and dark before. The natural beauty around us and daily rising of the sun gave the inspiration for the window.

During the making I received help in many forms, and encouragement to find confidence, especially when I needed a steady hand. I felt I was not alone in creating this window.

The window is dedicated to the people in New York who lost their lives in the Destruction of the World Trade Center in 2001, about the time of the Dedication and Blessing. - Gillian Heal Ferguson