Outcry in Coventry as vandals smash 'masterpiece' at cathedral

[dutchman]

Some of the nearly 200 stained glass panels of the Baptistery Window have been damaged. It has been rated one of the best stained glass windows in the world



Vandals have caused dismay after smashing a 'masterpiece' at Coventry's Cathedral viewed as one of the world's best stained glass windows. The stunning Baptistery Window is made up of almost 200 stained glass panel and has been rated one of the best 25 stained glass windows in the world.

But some of the panels have been smashed in an attack sometime between Sunday afternoon (April 28) and Monday morning (April 29). Coventry Police have released images of the damage caused as they start their hunt to find those responsible.

Cathedral staff say they are 'shocked' by the incident. They say the window is one of the most popular sights in Cathedral, and has been described as a ‘masterpiece’ by the architect Sir Basil Spence.

The cathedral says the window is "one of the most iconic and famous twentieth century stained glass windows in the country, made of 198 brightly coloured glass panels and measuring 26 metres high." Officials say it was voted by the Architectural Digest in 2023 as one of the world's top 25 most breath-taking stained glass windows.

Dean John Witcombe of Coventry Cathedral said: “We were dismayed to see the damage done to this beautiful window. We know how much this building means to our city, and our visitors from across the world, and we hope that we can establish how the damage occurred.”

The window was created by artist John Piper and glassmaker Patrick Reyntiens for the New Cathedral, which opened in 1962, after the Second World War bombing that left the original St. Michael’s Cathedral in ruins during the Blitz in 1940.

"We're working with members of the cathedral to try and establish exactly what happened and are keen to hear from anyone with information," Coventry Police said on their page on Facebook. "It's believed to have happened sometime between 4pm on Sunday and 8am on Monday (29 April).

Coventry Cathedral officials say it is entirely self-funded, and receives no government funding towards maintaining both the old and New Cathedral, which costs £3,000 a day to keep open for our visitors. A spokesman said: "The Cathedral relies solely on donations and gifts to stay open daily, so any support is gratefully appreciated."

If you would like to make a donation to help support the upkeep of our beautiful buildings you can do so here: https://www.coventrycathedral.org.uk/ge ... ved/donate. Anyone with any information about who is responsible for the damage or who was in the area at the time is being urged to contact police via Live Chat on West Midlands Police website, or by calling 101, and quoting 20/451519/24.

[drewdavis]

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