Considers the works of Somerset stained glass design and manufacturing firm Horwood brothers, the society in which the makers lived and the people for whom they worked.


Horwood Brothers' first window was made in 1852 and the firm continued for just over forty years. Most of their work is in Somerset and Wiltshire but may also be found across England, Wales and Ireland. They also obtained commissions in Australia, Gibraltar, South Africa and Sri Lanka. Like many other firms they would sometimes rely on existing artwork for the basis of their designs. This aspect has been thoroughly researched, and some forty examples have been identified.

Harry Horwood, the second of the three brothers, emigrated to Canada, close to the border with the United States and was followed in the business by one of his sons. A chapter by David E Martin covers their work across the Atlantic. There is a comprehensive gazetteer of the work of the British firm, enabling readers to explore their windows for themselves.